


Roaming Among Us

by joeymoey



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:00:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 29,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7578625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joeymoey/pseuds/joeymoey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the city, Ruby survives on her own as the undead surround and takeover. She lived in the streets, walked for miles, and hasn't made any real progress in months. She was doing fine on her own, but suddenly, found someone on the way she never expected. Human AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is from a super excited request on Tumblr, so let's dO THIS SHIT.  
> I've been wanting to do this and it'll help me with more Human AU, but since this is only a work-in-progress, I might think about keeping them as they are canon. I dunno!  
> Enjoy.

  
****She hid in the shadows.

In what felt like forever, Ruby Harris hid in an alleyway, hiding and feeling her heart stop every time she hears slow, heavy footsteps and low groaning coming by. She held onto her backpack of supplies and bloody ax tightly, hoping to god she won't be found. She was covered in blood, after getting through a hoard of the undead, fresh and made her smell just like them.

It was nighttime and has to rely on sound to get somewhere safer. It was a hot summer night, the moon was only a tiny sliver in the sky, and the population of the undead only grew more and more. Now, sleeping was as dangerous as being alive, smelling nice was a dead giveaway (no pun intended), rationing was priority, and trusting people is by far the hardest thing a person could do.

Ruby was in between two brick walls, basically holding her breath and waiting around for _something_. She looks up, a black ladder leading up to the lowest balcony, and then she jumps to it. She grabs onto the lowest rung with one hand, and her other hand places her ax into her backpack. After she secured it, she makes her way up through the stairs.

Ruby had enough muscle to do this, but she was so nervous for any scares or surprises. After reaching the balcony, she had to start going up, balcony-to-balcony, stair-to-stair. She quietly went up, not wanting her heavy steps to attract anyone, and made her way to the roof.

She reaches the top. She was sweating and out of breath as she looked down. She placed her hands on her knees as she catches her breath again. She stands up straight again, staring up at the night sky.

She always loved the stars.

The city was so dark that she saw millions of them above her. She felt a sense of relief whenever she looked up at them.

It felt like home.

The sky was a deep blue. It was practically black. But, the hint of blue was there and it made all the stars and possible far off planets pop out and be more prominent. It was a beautiful hue Ruby has never seen.

She sets her bag down and she sits down. She crossed her legs and resting on her hands. As she looked up, it was quiet. It wasn't silent. There was always surviving birds chirping and then groaning and dragging feet on the street ground.

Ruby sighs. Her heart calmed down from the risky ladder climbing she had to do on the fly. She lies down, putting her hands behind her head, and outstretched her legs.

* * *

She seemed to have fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes again, the bright sun burned through her pupils. Reacting, she shut them tightly and rubs her eyes with her fists. Sitting up slowly, she crosses her legs again.

She sighs, "Another fucking day..."

She stands up, legs slightly wobbly and weak, but she grabs her axe out and then lifts her bag onto her back.

She walks near the edge, looking down from ten stories above, seeing basically nothing in the vicinity, surprisingly. This was suspicious, but with slow steps, Ruby left down the balcony stairs.

* * *

She made it halfway, but then as she touched the fourth level, she heard something thump within the fifth story room.

Ruby turns around to the source, standing in silence as she waited for another noise to happen inside the room. Her blood ran cold and her heart skipped a beat. It could be anything inside, even just another zombie, of some poor soul that took their own life and came back.

She decided to run down, not wanting to deal with any at the moment; she did just wake up after all.

Then the room made a louder noise.

She froze for a second, but continued on her way to her next destination.

But the room kept making more noises as she left. Now it seemed whatever it is is actually _trying_ to get her attention. As she continued further away from it, the noises became louder and rather than one thump it would be three or five of them.

Ruby, now pissed off at whatever is inside, walks back up to the window of that room. The noises then stop, making Ruby furious and felt as though she was going crazy in this already-fucked up world.

Suddenly, a hand slapped against the window, covered in blood and smearing it against the glass. This startled her and nearly fall off the balcony. Whatever this was, they were lying down on the ground and near death.

They slowly got up, revealing a girl with long and disheveled blue hair, white cloth covering her left eye and held by gauze. But the cloth had a giant red and new blood stain right in the middle. She's cut up and shaking from what she has experienced in this room.

Ruby gulped hard, her throat dry, but she placed her ax in her bag and tried to open the window.

The girl on the other side was somewhat unaware of everything around her, as her good eye was glazed and half-lidded. Maybe she was just hoping that someone would happen to be around if she continued to make noises. Ruby tried to open it with all her strength, but nothing.

The girl was looking back at her, as if she was lifeless, but her bloody hand reached up to the window sill, near where the lock is. She was sitting up and was agonizingly slow, but Ruby was patient, with a little panic in her eyes.

The girl wasn't able to unlock the window, as she continued to try, her arm was shaky and she twitched.

Ruby looked around, now seeing zombies off to her left walking through the street.

She muttered "fuck" under her breath, but Ruby looked at back at the girl.

"I'll try to find a way for you to get out." She mouthed. She left, without noticing the girl placing her hand on the window again, watching her go.

* * *

Ruby made it to the bottom, stuck in-between brick walls once more, trying to get her way around this building. Her obstacles being the zombies she sees and she _doesn't_ see, it was going to be tricky as to how she was going to get to her.

Ruby grabbed her ax again, readying it in both hands to swing it at the zombie that is straight ahead from her. She takes a deep breath, realizing how stupid this idea was, but she ran out, swinging and penetrating through the zombie's head. It got stuck halfway, having to tug it out once the zombie hit the ground.

The blood splattered onto her face, arms, and torso. In her surroundings, she has captured groups of zombies' attention who were eating from the corpse of a horse. About fifty were around, but Ruby looked around frantically and hyperventilating. She ran into the brick building the girl is in, slamming the door and locking it.

She ran up the stairs that were next to the door and going in a spiral. Her head was thinking of so many things at once; she couldn't focus properly and wanted to just scream, but with the banging on the door, it kept her silent.

She made it to the fifth floor. The room was all the way at the end, with a dead body lying in front of it. There was a putrid smell and it nearly made Ruby throw up. She took a deep breath through her mouth, walking slowly towards the room. The corpse had a hole going through the back of their head and the blood splatter meant this person got shot as they were leaving the room.

Maybe shot by the girl?

This relieved Ruby, since a shot to the head meant it won't come back. The body shows it has been decomposing for maybe a few weeks? It had happened way before Ruby arrived to the city.

She walks over it and grabs the door knob, checking if it would open. As it should be, it was locked. There was no way the girl was going to be able to make it to the door. So, she grabbed her ax and started to hack at it.

With every grunt, she managed to cut through the other side, kicking the rest off with her boot-covered foot.

Across from the door, the girl still sat there, looking out the window.

Ruby, out of breath, walked towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

  
****Did she not hear anyone breaking through the door?

Maybe she thought it was a hoard of zombies and she just accepted fate...

"Hey, it's me," Ruby cleared her throat. She was feeling nervous, but why?

The girl turned around, looking more fucked up upon closer inspection. Her clothing, a simple blue dress, tattered and covered in blood, and no shoes. Her ebony skin was covered in dried up blood and looked like she hasn't slept in forever.

Ruby puts down her backpack and opens it. Reaching in, she grabs a water bottle, an extra one since it was still unopened. She opens it and sits next to her.

She only eyed Ruby, making her feel uneasy. Ruby puts the opening of the bottle to her plump and cut lips, pouring some for her. The girl was able to get her weak hand up and hold the water bottle for herself. Some water dripped down the sides of her mouth.

Ruby lets go of the bottle, watching as the girl seemed to become more... _alive_ , in a sense, as she drank. Ruby was afraid to even touch the girl, let alone be close to her.

She puts the bottle down on her lap, letting out a sigh. _Still not a word._

Ruby looked up and down her. She looks at the other's hand, the one that was slapped against the window, was a brand new wound on her right hand. It was slashed horizontally across her palm. Did she do that herself?

Ruby looks up again; she was still looking dead at her. Her right eye was a stunning and deep blue, nearly hypnotizing Ruby.

Ruby felt her face burn, so she cleared her throat and looked elsewhere. The room itself was compact and from the looks of it, it was ransacked. All the furniture was tossed over or on the other side of the room, the pantries and drawers were opened and emptied, doors were broken off, walls were broken through, and on the dark wooden floorboards, there was blood. The blood smeared and looked like whoever it was, was being dragged or thrown around.

"I didn't think you would really come back..." Ruby finally heard. Her voice, smooth and low, dripping in sorrow and hopelessness. Ruby stayed silent.

"In a world like this... I don't expect anyone to be so honest. I thought you just said that so you can bring all those zombies up here."

"Is that why you didn't react?" Ruby sits up straight, getting closer to listen.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Well, now we're here. Together." Ruby reached out a hesitant hand and placed it on top of the other's bloodied one.

Surprisingly, she smiled at Ruby. It was small one, curving at the corners, but Ruby smiled back.

"What's your name?" The girl asked.

"Ruby." She replied. "What's yours?"

"Sapph- Sapphire." She coughed up a little.

"Sapphire, let's take you somewhere better. Somewhere to clean you up," Ruby pulls away. "For now, let's give you something to wrap your hand."

She reaches into her bag for some ace bandages and Sapphire lifted her hand up to wrap it around.

* * *

After, Ruby stood up, "Alright, you're all set to go!"

Ruby held out her right hand to help her up. Sapphire grabs on, wincing at some slight pain, and weakly gets up.

"I can make this work," Ruby look at all her stuff.

"I can walk... Kind of," Sapphire tried to convince, but it didn't work.

Ruby sighs as she unlocks and opens the window, "You're not a very good liar. Let me carry you, okay?"

Sapphire didn't respond at first, but nodded.

Ruby started to place all her stuff on the balcony and crawls out to it. Holding out her hand again, she helps Sapphire out. By the time they were both out and closed the window, the zombies were at the other side of the hall.

* * *

Ruby places her bag on her back, her ax inside, and then held her arms out for Sapphire to position herself.

Like a bride on her wedding day, Sapphire was carried effortlessly. Placing her arms around Ruby's neck, she was secured into Ruby's muscular arms. Ruby managed to get all the zombies into the building so they can go through the streets no problem. Ruby didn't plan on anything like that to happen; she just sort of did it. It just happened to work out so well.

Ruby wasn't sure where to go. She had no knowledge of the town and Sapphire was stuck in the room for weeks, so they had to guess and aimlessly walk around until they find a good place to stay at again.

"I slept on the roof, you know." Ruby broke the silence. "I just dozed off. I'm glad I don't move in my sleep."

"How risky of you," Sapphire replied, "I haven't slept in days."

"Hey, um," Ruby tried to change the subject, "What happened to your hand?"

Referring to the open cut, she hoped for an answer.

"I don't like how new and untouched that building over there is."

Ruby found it suspicious that she ignored her question.

"I mean, it could mean that people live here."

The building was strange. It was a hotel, the yellow, slightly beige building with a lot of windows, but surprisingly unscathed. With about twenty-five floors, it really was peculiar for such-building to be so clean. To its sides, there were sandbags built higher than Ruby's short height of five-foot-three, perhaps tripled her height.

"We should stay away..." Ruby backed away slowly. She turned around and walked away, speed walking as far from the building as possible.

"Maybe it's some kind of base, there's snipers or something." Ruby looked up, looking at the sudden group zombies that covered her way out.

"Shit, you're fucking kidding me..." Ruby mumbled under her breath, angrily.

Ruby had no choice but to go to this building.

"COME ON!" Ruby suddenly heard. From the front doors of the hotel, there was a female with long gray-purple hair, and light brown skin.

Ruby ran towards her, the girl holding the door open, and then slammed the door shut once the two girls were inside.

"Fuck!" The nameless girl yelled out. "Peri! Get the guns ready!"

"I told you that they got snipers..." Ruby whispered to Sapphire. She placed Sapphire down, keeping her arm around her neck, to keep Sapphire balanced.

The inside was extravagant. Chandeliers, many clean rooms, very open and brand new. There was two staircases on both sides, leading into the next level and even elevators. The walls were a pale brown color, like a fresh cup of ice coffee, and light green and brown carpet covering all flooring.

"The name is Amethyst." The gray-haired girl introduced. She had a blue handkerchief around her neck, with a baseball jersey and shorts. It was interesting attire in Ruby's eyes.

"Welcome to this hotel renamed The Temple!"

Ruby nodded, "Ruby."

"Sapphire," Sapphire said simply, "We were kind of spooked by this place."

"Oh yeah! That's the intention, but Peri saw you guys and those zambies. We usually try to help those we can, but... A certain someone in our group absolutely hates strangers. Trust issues, amiright?"

"Yeah," Ruby agreed.

"Sapph, we should get you to out medic! After, you'll get a full view and meet everyone else in this place! I'm sure everyone will warm up to you."

Amethyst had such a bright and friendly smile, Ruby and Sapphire couldn't help but feel so safe in an instant.

"Now, to get you fixed up." Ruby smiled at Sapphire. She helps her up the stairs.

This day turned out better than expected.


	3. Chapter 3

The whole "perfectly clean and safe hotel" thing was still something to believe to Ruby. Even though she was standing right in it and Amethyst seemed friendly enough, she didn't let her guard down.

Amethyst placed the two together on the third floor, which is about right that they are now a duo in all of this. Ruby waited inside the room as Sapphire was taken with Amethyst to get everything patched.

Ruby sat on the large bed, with white sheets and a brown blanket, wondering what to do. The first thing was maybe a shower, since it has been months.

She stands up, planning to do just that.

* * *

"I'm sorry for being so slow." Sapphire held onto Amethyst as they took small steps to wherever their infirmary or nurse's office is.

"Dude, it's alright! You look like you've been through hell and back five times! I usually rush, but I can do this, too." Amethyst was possibly going slower than Sapphire.

"I used to be pretty fast, but being stuck in a room really wears you down, you know?"

"Totally, man."

They arrive to another room, after going through the elevator and down a hall on the seventh floor.

Room 5750. Really makes you wonder how many numbers there were in the whole place.

Amethyst pounds her fist against the door, "Yo Rose! We got a patient!"

It took a few moments for someone to answer, but eventually, the door unlocks, revealing a tall woman with long curly hair, who was wearing a mask over her mouth.

"Oh! Hello, you're new." She takes off her mask, to be formal and not rude.

"Like, six minutes ago, actually." Amethyst restated. "She's Sapphire. Obviously, she's in bad shape."

"Just come in here, I'll fix you up to the best of my ability." Rose held the door open.

Amethyst left her in Rose's hands and care, so she headed back to the elevator.

* * *

As she went inside, she went to the fifteenth floor. She has tried the thirteenth floor, but it didn't actually lead to anywhere; it was a pseudo-button to make the buttons even and symmetrical.

The rooms were rather small, but with so many rooms on both sides of the halls on every floor, it was really used for two-day stays. The halls were a cream color, now all identical and slightly scary to be in. It was long and almost horror movie-like.

"Yo Peri!" Amethyst pounded on the door directly in the middle of the hall.

"A little busy in here!" The other voice called out. After, a few gunshots can be heard in the room.

Amethyst sighed, if Peridot was busy, that meant Lapis was also busy. And surely didn't want to deal with Jasper.

Amethyst goes back to the elevator, wondering who to go to, "Back to Ruby, then."

* * *

The bathroom was spacious and matched the colors of the room. With only a standing shower, one toilet, and one sink, Ruby will have to make it work. The counter of the sink was cold granite, main color was orange-brown with black and specks of white mixed into it. The floor was shiny white tile, reflective and as cold as the counter.

Ruby hasn't felt so refreshed in what felt like forever. She wore her clothes again, as dirty as they are, and walked out again.

There was pounding on the door; the same way Amethyst knocks on doors.

"Yo Ruby!" That was definitely Amethyst.

Ruby opens the door, revealing the bored-looking girl on the other side.

"Everyone is busy." Amethyst walked in. "It's hot in here."

"I like to shower in hot water." Ruby shrugged her shoulders as she closed the door.

"We got someone to man that shit. She's good at managing all the running water." Amethyst jumped into bed.

"This place is locked down good." Ruby walked to the window, watching the giant crowd of zombies get shot from a few floors above. There were now piles of zombies lying dead in front of the hideout.

"Does this happen often?" Ruby asked.

"Not in big groups like that." Amethyst sat up, "Its usually one or two and then clean them up."

Ruby hummed, "Where do you guys put them?"

"That's Jasper's job. So, we don't know what she does with them."

* * *

"I see, that's horrible to know that you went through all that alone." Rose finishes by placing an eyepatch over Sapphire's left eye. Under it, she still needed to put some cloth and bandages. Her right hand was stitched, with the help of biting on some towels and willpower, and covered in ace bandages and more cloth.

"You must be very experienced in doing medicine without a license." Sapphire jokes.

Rose giggles, "In these trying times, a license isn't needed. Just be good at fixing people."

Sapphire stands, still barefoot, "I should walk around. It's been a while."

"Please do, I'll see you at dinner, okay?" Rose opens the door for her.

"See you."

Sapphire, wobbly and limping, walked outside into the hall and felt the hard and flat carpet against her feet.

She heads to the elevator, remembering floor three, and waited patiently for her drop off. Upon drop off, Sapphire limped out. Even in another hall, the carpet was still flat and uncomfortable to step on. Maybe Ruby wouldn't mind carrying her around a little longer.

She made it to her room, Room 3226, and knocked gently.

She waited for a second and then it opened, it was Ruby who looked a lot cleaner and happier.

"Hey, you look better!" Ruby praised.

"You too. But, my walking still needs some work."

"We can walk around, if you want. Amethyst is in here, though." Ruby looked behind into her room and saw Amethyst still in bed, "Or I can carry you more."

"That is pleasant, but I should learn to walk again." Sapphire smiled.

"We'll do it later, promise." Ruby held out her hand, "For now, come inside, it's nice in here."

Sapphire obliges, grabbing her hand, and walking into the room.

"Well!" Amethyst rolls off the bed and stands up, "Imma go! See ya later, lovebirds!"

"Wait, we aren't-

Before Ruby could say any more, Amethyst was already out the door.

Ruby sighs, "That's going to be an issue."

Sapphire has moved a chair to the window, sitting and watching as there were still zombies getting shot in their heads.

The chair was brown and could be used for a living room, but it was plush and soft. Sapphire placed her arms on the armrests and crosses her right leg over her left.

Ruby follows, taking the other chair and placing it next to Sapphire.

"So..." Ruby starts awkwardly, "How was getting fixed?"

"Still hurts, but she said that she'll give me something later. Probably after dinner."

"You never answered my question earlier." Ruby brought up again.

"I just... I just did it, I guess. I don't know how to explain this without you thinking that I'm weird or weak. But, I did it while you were going down those stairs. I didn't expect you and I just wanted to get your attention. But, I forgot that I was doing this."

"You don't have to explain anymore. When you're more comfortable, you can tell me next time."

"Sure, if we know each other still by then."

Sapphire was still hopeless and it showed through in her body language, her words, and her tone.

"I promise, I'll be here with you " Ruby reached over and placed her right hand over Sapphire's left.

Sapphire smiles, but it made Ruby wonder what's really going on in her mind. Ruby kept her hand over the other's.

The room was quiet, other than the faint gunshots that can be heard through the walls.

"If you don't mind, though," Sapphire lifts her head up to look at Ruby, "Let's get to know each other. Since we're "lovebirds.'"

Ruby snickered, but agreed, "What do you want to know?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys! I'm really trying to get back on the same pattern and schedule, but I'm trying to manage going to summer school, having tennis practice, and my work for school takes forever. BUT! I'm trying my best, I swear!  
> But then! I was planning hella stories like:  
> 1) Wall-E (Maybe)  
> 2) Hyper, Much? rewrite (Both because I read them again and just... *sigh*)  
> 3) Some medieval shit, like a different take on the guard and the princess  
> 4) American Horror Story-based story  
> 5) Being stuck in a haunted house oneshot (Probably, most likely, would be the same length as Beauty Guru & the Rage Gamer)  
> 6) Revolutionary Girl Utena (Amethyst x Pearl)  
> I don't know, maybe you guys can write these ideas, too! Just throw me a PM and I'll totally read it, if you ever do!  
> So, that's a life update from yours truly, joey!  
> Enjoy.

From the two rooms in the fifteenth floor, Peridot and Lapis were still shooting at the zombies, getting slightly annoyed at the vastness of them. Just the rotten, green, and groaning bodies walking towards their building never seemed to stop.

The two rooms were right next to each other, but the wall in between them was broken through so the rooms were directly connected.

"WHERE DID ALL THESE ZOMBIES COME FROM?!" Peridot exclaimed.

"Quiet, you. Maybe it's your voice that's bringing them over." Lapis deadpanned. She continued to shoot at them.

"No! It's the two other people that Amethyst brought in! They came here!" The shorter of the two turned towards the other.

Lapis sighed, "Leave it alone, Peri."

These two were a dynamic duo, but _really_ didn't like each other. Or more like, Lapis hated her and how explosive she was. The two were the ones to stay awake and shoot whatever comes towards the hotel. Both of them were in rough shape, with darkness under their eyes, but no one else would ever want to take turns or anything.

Lapis was handling it the worst. She was definitely brought in like Ruby and Sapphire. Of course, Jasper wasn't really up for it and nearly used her as a dummy to punch and yell at. But, Lapis was a lot more than meets the eye. Lapis and Peridot wore very similar clothes, such as a gray jacket and ripped-up blue jeans.

Peridot was one of those people to put the hood up and then pull on the strings until it was only her facial features were shown. Her glasses were interesting, large, square, and nearly useless clear fit-over glasses, even though she has no glasses underneath them. She never explained why she wore them, except "safety."

Peridot stops shooting and lets out a deep breath, "We're wasting bullets! It's getting dark! We can't keep doing this!"

Lapis puts down her sniper rifle, letting out a inaudible sigh, "For once, I agree with you."

"Let's go to Jasper-

"Fucking hell..." Lapis gets up heading to her door, "Let's go."

* * *

In Ruby's and Sapphire's room, they were still talking to each other, but the two moved the chairs to look towards each other, the window to Ruby's left/Sapphire's right.

"You worked for the president?" Ruby was in awe at Sapphire's story.

"Yeah, I could have went with her, but something very bad happ-

There was a knock on the door. It was light and gentle, obviously not wanting to disturb anyone so much.

"You should get that," Sapphire clasped her hands together.

Ruby does so, walking quickly to the door, and opening it. On the other side was the large, pink haired medic with a tan-colored bag on her back.

"Hello, you two," She smiles, "I'm Rose."

"Ruby," Ruby replied, "May I help you?"

"We're heading out," Rose looks down the hall, "Peridot and Lapis said they were wasting bullets, so they're going to gather everyone here to kill them head-on."

"What about Jasper?"

Rose waves it off, "Don't mind her. She'll warm up eventually."

Ruby looks back at Sapphire, who was still looking out the window.

"Sapphire, just stay in here, okay?" Ruby went back and grabbed her ax.

"Sure." Sapphire was back to how she was. One-worded and very distant. As if their conversation never happened.

Ruby was hesitant, but went back to Rose. "We'll be back, okay?"

Then, they close the door.

* * *

Ruby and Rose ran down the hall to the elevator; everyone else has gone down.

Rose was struggling slightly, with her plus-size weight, but she had longer strides. Making it to the elevator, it was Jasper inside.

Jasper, taller than Rose, tan with patches of white skin all over their visible arms and legs, along with the majority of her face. The glare on her face, it was evident that she was pissed the fuck off.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She stared down at Ruby. She felt intimidated by her height, ripped jeans-turned-shorts, and jean jacket with the arms cut off.

"Jasper, we have no time for this. Everyone is downstairs and about to fight to the death against flesh-eating humanoids."

The scary woman sneered and looked away.

Ruby and Rose walk into the elevator, on both sides of Jasper, and the trip down was short, but very awkward.

* * *

In the lobby, everyone was there.

Ruby hasn't met them all, though. A weird little kid wearing her hood all scrunched up, some angst-y looking teen who looks like she hasn't slept in years, another tall woman with a big afro and brass, spiky knuckles on her fists, and then just Amethyst, carrying a bat with straight or jagged bloody nails at the top.

"Oh yeah, Ruby," Amethyst places the bat on her shoulder, "That one is Peridot, she's Lapis, and that tall glass of hotness is Garnet."

They all said hi, waving their hands at their new teammate.

"Enough chit-chat, bitches," Jasper cracks her knuckles.

"Uh, Jas, you're not going to punch them to death." Peridot eyed her.

Amethyst elbowed her in the side and whispered through her teeth, " _Peri_ , come on, this'll be hilarious."

"I'm not unprepared, you idiots," Jasper wrinkled her nose, which had a band-aid going over it horizontally.

Everyone gave each other some looks of _"yeah, sure_ " and then Amethyst took a deep breath.

"Okay, let's do this shit!"

Everyone's weapons were superior to Ruby's simple ax. Amethyst's bat, Lapis's crossbow, Garnet has something on her back that Ruby can assume is a katana, and then Jasper's hidden weapon, most likely better than hers.

Ruby nods, "Let's do this shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the super long beginning note!  
> Anyway, Review and shit!


	5. Chapter 5

Jasper walks past everyone and aggressively pushes the door open with her foot. With fire in her eyes, she gets to the first few zombies with her hidden weapon. A blood-covered machete.

Everyone else ran out, going out separately yet close enough to still look after each other. Peridot and Rose had smaller weapons like screwdrivers and kitchen knives, but these two were more being distractions or supports of the team.

Now up close to these _things_ , Ruby was swinging at them with all her might at their skulls. With such horrid smells, melted off green and skin, dead white eyes, and exposed organs attack them for their flesh. She was blindly aiming, not wanting to slow down for a second, one bite or cut from these zombies and it's bye-bye to whatever limb it is.

Everyone was doing their best to keep on their guard. Before they knew it, it was dark.

"Fuck!" Amethyst voice could be heard.

"We're almost done, guys!" Peridot yells out for encouragement.

"This is all your fault!" Jasper pointed at Ruby.

Ruby didn't listen; she just wanted this to be over with. She continue to attack, mind going blank as she continued to tire herself out. All she heard was groans, moans, and growls from every direction.

Everyone was swinging around, with the exception of Lapis, Peridot, and Rose. Lapis was having a hard time aiming at anything when her whole team was out, separate, and constantly moving. She managed to get a few shots, but a lot were close calls to her teammates.

Everyone was giving their all.

* * *

Ruby was heavily breathing, as everyone else is. Blood splattered all over their bodies and faces, sweat dripping down their necks, and everyone was looking at each other, hoping everyone is still okay.

"Holy fuck..." Ruby mumbled under her breath.

"Hey dude, you ain't too bad at this!" Amethyst heavily patted Ruby's back.

"I played sports in school after all..." Ruby still heavily breathed, "And was drafted into the military."

"You swing a lot?"

"A lot." Ruby nodded, "But, I wasn't in the force long enough to actually use a gun."

"You're valuable to this team, then!"

Now Jasper's and Garnet's job, they had to find a way to move all the bodies.

"We can help you, you know!" Peridot said, slightly hoping they didn't.

Jasper gave one look, glaring dead at her, and said, "Fuck off."

Peridot sighed, placing a hand on her heart, "Thank God, let's go, team!"

"Dude, if it was Pearl out there, she would have been losing her mind." Amethyst stated.

"Who's Pearl?"

* * *

Inside, Amethyst explained how Pearl was a second-in-command in terms of healing the team. However, she was also a double sword-wielding pro and under the stuff of the hoard, she would be a little too controlling. Most days, she spent her time outside and gathering more supplies and possibly visiting other bases. The rest of the group was apart and covering more ground.

There was a Greg and a Steven in one place. And another group, there was a Sugilite, Opal, Sardonyx, Alexandrite, and... Amethyst was going to say one more, but whoever it was, they were the Voldemort of this survival group.

"Ruby, dinner is gonna be lit as fuck," Amethyst hyped placing her hands on her head, "Crackers with the cheese dipping shit!"

The dipping crackers were considered gourmet of the apocalypse. Honey is the common food and beef jerky was last resort.

Ruby had a bag full of food, but she wanted to keep for Sapphire.

Wait, Sapphire!

"I'll be right back!" Ruby ran to the stairs and to the elevator.

* * *

On the third floor, Ruby ran to their room and frantically knocked on the door. After a few agonizing moments, jumping around waiting impatiently, the door opens, showing Sapphire looking exactly the same.

Ruby didn't want to look like this, bloody, sweaty, and tired as a motherfucker, but she was really worried about her being alone again.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." Ruby had a goofy grin on her face.

"Ruby," Sapphire had a worried tone in her voice. She places her hands on Ruby's face, gently rubbing her cheeks, "You're completely filthy."

"I was fitting zombies, I don't know what you're supposed to look like that something like that."

"Come in and clean yourself up," Sapphire ordered, putting her hands down and walks back into the room.

"But Sapphire, you missed so much!" Ruby walked into the bathroom.

Sapphire limps back, resting on the door frame, "Oh, do tell."

"Everyone is so cool and... UGH! It's only been one day, maybe less than that, but I never want to leave!"

"Weren't _you_ the one that said that didn't trust them?"

Ruby paused, "Yes, but! I like them now. I work good with them. I was told I was valuable to the team."

"Well, I'm proud of you. Did you get hurt at all?"

"Maybe from swinging so much, but the zombies never got a chance to grab on me."

"Ah." Sapphire nods, "Well, I'll leave you alone. Wash it all off, okay?"

"Will do."

And she closes the door.

* * *

After, Ruby was all cleaned up and fresh again. The most showers she has taken in _months_. She wondered if Sapphire has tried to wash up, too. It would be an awkward question to ask, though.

She gets dressed in the same bloody clothes, which is horrible and gross, but that's the only outfit she had.

"Okay, Sapphire!" Ruby walked out. Sapphire was lying down on the bed, eye closed. She looked so peaceful. As if there's nothing wrong happening in the outside world. Ruby then wondered when was the last time she actually slept this well.

"Sapphire?" Ruby walks over and shakes her, waking her up right away.

"Ready?"

"Yes, let's go and eat dinner with everyone." Ruby smiled, holding out her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Review and shit!


	6. Chapter 6

On the way down, Sapphire explained how she hasn't eaten in a while. She didn't specify _how long_ , but she left it vaguely with, "a lot longer than you think."

Ruby had a blank look on her face, wondering why Sapphire is just so indirect. Maybe she's still having some issues with this as well?

The dinner was taken place at the waiting room at the front. It sat in-between the two staircases, with about four gold-colored chairs and a large brown coffee table in the middle. By the front door with all their weapons of choice, they protected their base, as they ate crackers.

"Hey Ruby and Sapphire!" Amethyst greeted them. She was sitting on the floor, in-between Peridot and Lapis, who were sitting on the chairs.

"Okay, so!" Amethyst stands up. Upon close inspection, she had some crumbs around her lips.

She points at Peridot first, "That's Peridot."  
"That's Lapis."  
"And that's Pearl. Jasper and Garnet are outside."

"Nice to meet you all," Sapphire grinned, hands behind her back.

Everyone was sitting in a different way. Peridot sat with her knees to her chest, Lapis was in Indian style, Rose was sitting with her back straight with both feet on the ground, with her shoes off, and Pearl had one foot on the floor, while her other leg was crossed over in a proper position. However, Ruby and Sapphire had to sit on the floor.

Sapphire sat on her legs in a "plop" sound and was given a little container of crackers and cheese.

* * *

Outside, Jasper and Garnet were dragging and carrying around bodies, sweating up a storm as the heavy bodies had to be carried in one hand each. The two never really talked normally, they usually argued or get in some kind of commotion with each other.

They avoided eye contact or even breathe near each other.

This was a difficult task, the only light available to them was a motion sensor light from the hotel and light clip-on flashlights on their jackets, but they didn't want to use either of them, in fears of attracting any more attention to them.

"This is fucking bullshit..." Jasper growled under their breath. Garnet didn't reply, but she silently agreed.

"It was those two!" Jasper started to play blame once again, "They ran all the way over here-

"Give it rest! Okay, they brought them here, but they needed help!" Garnet glared at the bitter woman. She has long took her sunglasses off to see better.

"Listen to me! We have never had to deal with this-"

"And then what?! No one ever said this was going to be easy to work with. You may be big and bad, but not everyone is like that!"

Then, the two started to yell over each other, trying to get their points across.

At this rate, their bickering is a lot worse than any lighting.

* * *

"Do you guys hear that?" Ruby turned to the door. She was now sitting on the floor next to Sapphire, leaning on her hands and her legs stretched out.

"It better not be Jasper going crazy." Pearl rested her arm on her chair, hand on her chin.

"Come on!" Amethyst groaned, "Jasper hates everybody, why does she bother with staying here?!"

"Because it's a nice shelter with running water and food." Lapis rolled her eyes, "She only fights and makes everyone else do the survival. I have to find food tomorrow..."

Amethyst stands and goes to the door. Swinging it open and activating the light, "Keep it down out here!"

Amethyst saw the two just standing with each other and yelling still, not listening to the shorter girl.

Amethyst takes a deep breath, and then, "HEY ASSHOLES!"

The two stopped and looked at her, eyebrows furrowed.

"Shut the fuck up!" Amethyst then closes the door, staring back at the shocked faces of her group.

"Those two, amiright?" Amethyst chuckles.

* * *

Peridot somehow has a working watch on her, the big green watch with digital numbers, and said it was 11:26 PM. Taking another look, she had a little alien figure necklace around her neck.

They all went to the elevator and went up by duos. Except Amethyst. She went in with Ruby and Sapphire, holding a conversation with Ruby as Sapphire listened.

"You guys should try to stay up." Amethyst suggests, "We honestly haven't slept in like a month."

"Nah, I think me and Sapphire would agree that we deserve some sleep after everything today." Ruby yawns, covering their mouth with their hand.

"That's chill, dude! Jasper would kill us if we were all sleeping."

"I think Jasper wanted to kill me the moment she saw me."

"Eh, she's like that with everyone. Big and scary blonde! blah-blah-blah, you know? Don't worry about her!"

"I already didn't." The elevator stopped on floor 3. It felt like a surprisingly long elevator ride.

"Well, see you tomorrow morning." Ruby walked out, walking out with Sapphire, who was still silent.

"Nights, yo." Amethyst closes the door, leaving the duo to go to their room.

"I need a long shower right now," Sapphire stretched her arms upwards.

"I'm surprised they managed to have running water at all in here." Ruby states. "I think Amethyst said Garnet runs it."

"Like she fixed it?"

"Yeah. And looks after it."

Sapphire hummed, silently thanking the woman in her head.

* * *

In the room, Ruby just jumped into the bed, taking up the whole bed as she lied there diagonally.

Lying face down, she really admired and basked in the softest of the bed, feeling like a cloud on cold day.

Speaking of cold, the room has gotten so cold that Ruby got goosebumps all over her body, however, Sapphire doesn't seem to mind. She was leaning against the wall, enjoying the cold atmosphere, with a smile on her face.

"How long do you think this'll last?" Sapphire asked.

Ruby lifts her head up, "It's an air conditioner, but we should turn it off-

"Ruby, I mean, _this_. This shelter, not having to run away or stress out so much. I have a feeling this won't last long."

"Oh, well, We better make the best of it."

Sapphire nods her head and goes into the bathroom.

Ruby sighs. Sapphire is only going to need to slowly get into the idea of good people and good things can _still_ happen.


	7. Chapter 7

_Three months later_

"Holy fuck, what is that?" Amethyst looked through her binoculars she found a while back. She tried to look closer by leaning past the window itself. Her half brown-half gray hair tied back in a pony tail and her clothes were now bloodier and tattered.

Since then, it has become fall, the leaves have changed and fallen off, and the air was hot with a light breeze.

The dirt ground was grass, the buildings have become dull in color, and it has become silent, that the world fell dead with its people.

This was Amethyst's room, filled with boxes, and in the same room, Ruby was standing by. Now clad in black jeans and a red t-shirt, thanks to Rose and Pearl from their last hunt. Around her waist was a red hoodie and on her head was a blue hat, courtesy of Sapphire.

"What is it?" Ruby tried to peek as she went to Amethyst's side.

"It looks like a..." Amethyst paused.

Amethyst puts the binoculars down and gives it to Ruby. She looks through them, leaning out the window slightly like Amethyst did.

"That's a truck." Ruby didn't think much of it at first, but then puts them down and looks at Amethyst with wide eyes, "TRUCK!"

Ruby and Amethyst ran out of the room and to the elevator, fumbling and pushing each other.

* * *

They went to the very bottom floor, still pushing each other as they left, and saw that the whole group sitting in the waiting room.

"What's with all the ruckus?!" Peridot yelled out at the two. She was still wearing the same hoodie, in the same way. Eight-year-old lookin' ass.

The two were out of breath, but Ruby replied, "T-truck! Outside!"

"What?!" Nearly the whole group reacted simultaneously and went outside.

Ruby and Amethyst were leaning over and trying to catch their breath.

"Who do you think that would be?" Ruby asked.

"I dunno. I've never seen that truck before." Amethyst shook her head.

Outside, the dirty U-Haul truck made it's way to the dull hotel. Everyone stood outside, even Sapphire, who has healed and is only wearing an eyepatch. She watched the truck come closer with a wide eye and runs back inside, running into Ruby at the doorway.

"Are you okay?" Ruby grabs her arms.

"Go back inside, we have to go upstairs," Sapphire says to both her and Amethyst.

"Upstairs-

"We have to keep the top safe," Sapphire whispers.

Ruby and Amethyst look at each other and ran back inside, repeating the same push-and-shove run.

* * *

All three went to the roof. With the elevator only going to the top floor, the rest of the way was a ladder for whatever reason it may be.

Sapphire peeked over as the truck went into a full stop at the hotel; Ruby and Amethyst followed.

"What the fuck..." Amethyst growled under her breath.

Three people run out of the truck, completely covered in black from head to toe, all as tall as Jasper, They all had bloody baseball bats and the first one swung at Jasper across her face, knocking her out completely.

One half of the group ran away and the other half, meaning Pearl, Garnet, and Lapis, started to fight back.

"We need to do something!" Ruby then ran back to the trap door without waiting for Amethyst and Sapphire.

"Wait!" Amethyst ran after her, Sapphire following behind.

Ruby just fell down the shoot and ran down to the elevator. She was way ahead, therefore, she got into the elevator right away and watched as Amethyst and Sapphire ran. They were three-fourths of the way when the elevator door closed.

* * *

Ruby was at the bottom and saw an upside-down box that was shaking. She lifts the box hesitantly, and saw it was just Peridot hiding.

"Peri, what the fuck!" Ruby threw the box to the side.

"They took Jasper out and put her in the truck! They chased after everyone else, so I ran in here! I don't know where everyone is!" Peridot screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Oh my-" Ruby just loudly sighed and grabbed Peridot to put her on her feet, "When Amethyst and Sapphire get down here, _don't_ let them out there, got it?!"

"OKAY!" Peridot exclaimed while sniffling.

Ruby then runs out, seeing the white-and-orange truck still standing there and no one else.

She goes towards it and the back was still open, with Jasper's unconscious body inside.

It was risky, the rest chased them away and it was unknown how far they ran off, but can she even lift her out of this truck? She tries to pull on Jasper's legs, but to no avail.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" An angry, male voice exclaimed.

Ruby turns around and reacted to the voice, running away from the man, sprinting off pass the truck.

* * *

"Let us through, Peri!" Amethyst tried to pull the shorter girl off the door.

"NO!" Peridot was surprisingly strong and kept Amethyst and Sapphire from even touching the doorknob.

"We know that Ruby told you to keep us inside, but we have to help!" Amethyst yelled as she still tried to force her way.

"Just let us through!" Amethyst still tried. Even Sapphire was trying to break her way through, but Peridot was still managing to keep them away.

* * *

Ruby was running off towards the sun at this point; she ran into the forest to the right of the hotel, aimlessly with no point B, She then stops, leaning over and resting her hands on her knees as she catches her breath.

She looks around, relieved that she's alone, but also feeling absolutely FUCKED, when she realizes that she's completely lost.

She then panics, spinning around again and again to see if she missed any light openings or _something_ , but she then let out a huff. _She's lost._

* * *

Amethyst and Sapphire were able to pull through as Amethyst grabbed Peridot and Sapphire ran out.

Peridot squirmed out of Amethyst's tan arms and followed Sapphire, "WAIT!"

By the time the two finally made it outside, everything was silent. The truck group, the rest of their group, _the truck_ _,_ was all gone.

Sapphire stood there, frozen and not wanting to believe that this was happening. Ruby ran off.

Sapphire was on the verge of tears. Ruby, Garnet, Rose, Pearl, Jasper, and Lapis were all missing.

"Sapphire!" Amethyst grabbed her wrist when she saw her getting ready to run, "Don't! They'll find their way back!"

Sapphire hated the thought, the one she wanted to be next to you for the rest of the apocalypse, was gone in a matter of _three months._

She stopped trying to run. She stood there with Amethyst's hand still wrapped tightly around her wrist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I dunno, writing started feeling like a job I have to do, rather than want, but anyways!  
> Review and shit!


	8. Chapter 8

Many months have passed and it has only been Amethyst, Peridot, and Sapphire still at the hotel; which now has a makeshift barricade to keep everything out.

Since then, the trio just kept themselves on their feet. Peridot lost her left arm due to a bite and it was cut off right away, with the help of Amethyst. She was still getting used to it, but she was no longer the sniper of their shelter. She sits nearby as Amethyst nearly falls asleep every few minutes.

As for Sapphire, well, she couldn't stand looking outside at all. She couldn't bear the idea and the reality that Ruby went missing in a matter of minutes, along with everyone else who are either on the run, hiding, or even dead because of those men. She stayed in her room, thinking about what she wants to do.

* * *

Now in another and completely different city, Ruby was able to get out of the forest, but she was empty-handed and alone, once again. She has since ran from group-to-group, has gotten into about fifty altercations, has had about a hundred guns pointed at her face, but all that lead to this moment. Alone.

Months past and she hasn't settled down.

She gripped onto her jacket close and kept her head down. She was far away from any zombies attacking and she was most definitely losing herself at this rate. She couldn't stop thinking about Sapphire. Day and night, month after month, by the second, she just wished to know that she was okay.

She silently weep in the darkness as she has never ending thoughts of Sapphire and how she was; the possibilities caused her anxiety and so much worry in her heart and brain.

She simply sat, knees to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around her legs, and hoped to the stars that she was alive and well.

* * *

Sapphire was eating a cracker slightly dipped in cheese as she was stuck in deep thought.

She was in the lobby waiting room. She sat with her left side leaning against the armrest as her legs were folded in. She was alone, with Amethyst's signature nail-bat resting against her chair near her knees. It was only the sound of the crunching filling the room.

She stared at her right hand. _This_ was a burden. Reason for it was so well hidden, she only stared at it. She remembered how _this_ caught Ruby's attention. _This_ is a reminder of what she did before potential death.

But now she was here. She expected Ruby to still be around, but she was with Peridot and Amethyst, who were in rougher shape.

She sighed, looking down at the last cracker she has.

With every window boarded up, minus the sniper window in Peridot's room, every crevice and corner filled, and just any way anything could get in was blocked. The door was enforced and with the fence around the hotel, there's nothing that's going to get in.

Then, the elevator opens, showing Amethyst on the other side with her hands in her pockets. She slowly walked over into Sapphire's view.

"Hello Amethyst," Sapphire greets.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Amethyst asked in a very serious and low-lid tone.

"For a zombie apocalypse? Well. In general? Awful." Sapphire replied.

Amethyst nodded, "You're pretty tough, I praise you for that. But, I'm down here because I spotted something from the room. It was moving, so I'm going to stay here and chill."

She sits across from Sapphire, facing towards the door.

"You're not going to shoot it?"

"It moved better than a zombie, so no, I can wait in here."

There was a sudden awkward silence, which is out of character for Amethyst to be a part of.

"Where do you think Ruby is now?" Amethyst asks, both arms on her armrests.

"I would guess..." Sapphire shook her head and rubbed her good eye, "I would guess that she's perfectly fine. Like how I saw her before she saved me."

"I know that you're hurting. You guys were hard to separate before! I wouldn't be surprised if you started to feel some type of way with her."

In a way, Sapphire slightly did. A slight crush on the slightly taller, strong, and caring person as a teammate, it took a short period of time that "teammate" wasn't good enough.

"Who wouldn't?" Sapphire forcefully chuckled.

"Everyone else wouldn't. It was obviously just you, Sapph."

* * *

Ruby was now lying down, her tears all dried, and now all-around exhausted from crying. How pathetic she felt, crying in another alleyway.

She sits up again, sniffling and still pondering on where everyone is now.

She stays still for a moment, eyes closed, but that ended quickly with a voice.

"Hello?"

It sounds like a boy's voice. It was young, gentle, and not wanting to scare anything that might be hiding inside. It was, by far, the least threatening thing that's happened to Ruby so far.

Ruby took a peek, seeing a young boy with dark, curly hair, and wearing a red sweater. He was gripping onto a burger backpack tightly. He was obviously frightened.

Ruby crawls out, hoping she did not look like a zombie as she got out.

He backs away at first, but realizes quickly that it was simply a very gross looking human.

"Are you okay?" He asks her.

"I should be asking you that, kid," Ruby slowly gets up, her legs rattling and knees cracking, "You're alone out here?"

He hesitantly shakes his head at first, but then quickly nods.

"What's your name?" Ruby crosses her arms.

"Steven! What's yours?" He smiles.

"Ruby," she weakly smiles, "We need to stay together. You alone out here is too dangerous."

He nods, agreeing with the idea.

It was already dark out and only a streetlight was lighting their vicinity.

"Let's just hide out until daylight," Ruby went back to the alleyway.

"Okay!" Steven followed.

"How long have you been out here?"

"I was with a group, but then we got attacked. I don't know where my mom or dad is." He sounded sorrow in the statement.

"Don't be sad, Steven. I lost my group, too. But, we're going to find them!"

Steven's face lights up, "Yeah!"

* * *

Sapphire and Amethyst were actually laughing.

Sapphire was blushing and Amethyst kept teasing her about her little crush, but that was short-lived.

"Stop making me think of these things in a time like this!" Sapphire presses her hands against her warm cheeks.

"Hey! It's like you've never seen anything on TV with zombies in it! There's _always_ a weird plot with people fucking during the apocalypse."

"Ew!" Sapphire cringed and felt a shiver up her spine; she stands up, "I'm getting out of here."

"What the hell, don't go, man!" Amethyst bursts out laughing.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Ruby and Steven were off to who-knows-where. The two, side-by-side, walked through the streets, passed tall buildings and piles of dead bodies that have been shot or chopped into.

"Do you know what city this is?" Ruby asked the shorter boy.

"I think it's Jersey." Steven looked around, "It looks really bad."

Ruby nodded, "Looks like a Jersey. Been here before?"

"Once with a friend, but only for a short time."

"You went somewhere without your parents?"

"I'm fourteen," Steven reveals, "It was a really short trip, because I wanted to show her all kinds of places."

"I see," Ruby nodded. "I went whenever and wherever I want, too. I stayed home anyway, though, so I didn't do much with that privilege."

Ruby didn't exactly have parents. Being an orphan, she was simply in a foster home full of other troublesome kids and teens.

* * *

Sapphire was finally able to sleep well. She wake up feeling a little relieved and well-rested.

She gets up and walks out, going to the elevator.

On her way down, she realized that the music inside it stopped, making it a very awkward ride down. By herself.

As the door open, there were cheers of joy going on and multiple voices. It's not just Amethyst and Peridot downstairs.

"Sapphire! Garnet and Lapis are here! They're alive!" Amethyst waved her arms above her head.

Sapphire runs into the lobby and sees Garnet and Lapis, who are looking about the same from the last time she saw them. Their clothes were a little tattered some blood, scratches, and some dirt on their skin.

"I'm actually happy that I'm here," Lapis said with tired eyes.

Still not smiling, that Lapis.

* * *

"Do you know the way to Delmarva?" Ruby asks, hoping he did.

"Slightly. I think I have a map!" Steven takes his backpack off his back.

Ruby shoves her hands into her jacket pockets. She waited for the teen to take the large map out and give it to her.

She looks at it, looking for Jersey. She did, in fact, maneuver her way through fifty different groups and traveled out far, probably.

She found it and it was still pretty far to say the least.

"How many days do you think it will take?" She shows the map to him, pointing at Jersey and Delmarva.

"A week by foot?" Steven estimated.

"That's better than I thought! Off to Delmarva, Steven!"

"Yeah!" Steven hopped.

* * *

Garnet and Lapis sat down on the comfortable waiting room couches, their heads either resting on the armrest or their head loosely hanging back, neck exposed.

Peridot wouldn't leave Lapis alone, at her side and smiling so wide that her face must be hurting.

"Lost an arm, huh?" Lapis looked at the small child-like girl. What's it called, a loli?

"Yeah..." Peridot was still smiling and said that in a very lovey-dovey voice. It was very not-like-her.

"You ain't the only one in love, Sapph." Amethyst whispered to Sapphire.

"Shut up, Ame."

The group was partially back together.

"Hey, did you guys ever see Ruby? At all?" Sapphire asked, her heart racing.

Garnet and Lapis look at each other, and then look at Sapphire, shaking their head.

Sapphire sighed.

"She went missing too? I thought she would stay here."

"She told Peridot to keep us inside. Surprisingly, she's pretty strong." Amethyst added.

"It's disappointing, but I'm really glad you guys are back. Really." Sapphire smiled at the two.

"We'll find her, Sapphire. Don't worry." Garnet reassured.

"But Garnet!" Amethyst lightened the mood, "We're glad you're back! You know how to work the water in this shithole."

The group go on and talk about what the hell they were doing in the months they were apart.

It felt nearly complete, but Sapphire stayed quiet.


	10. Chapter 10

 It wasn't long until it already escalated quickly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey! Listen, we don't want any trouble!" Ruby had her arms up, while Steven was hiding behind her. In her face was about five bayonets and equal amounts of gun barrels just staring back at her.

On their way to Delmarva, they were stopped right away. They have apparently "walked on their turf."

"You got some nerve!" One guy shoves the bayonet closer to her face.

"HEY! I'm not lying!" Ruby said through her teeth. "Let's not get crazy! There's a kid here!"

* * *

Sapphire and Amethyst were out and searching for food.

"Do you think we'll ever leave that hotel?" Sapphire asked as they walked through the dead city.

"As much as we want to, but we still have people from our group out there. We can't leave, what if they come back?" Amethyst has significantly gotten worse with time, but she was still holding up.

Sapphire couldn't disagree.

"Ruby is still gone... Do you think-

"No, I don't think so. I'm sure she's still around, that's why we're still hiding here."

"Right..." Sapphire nods her head.

"Dude, I get that you're missing her, but you have to keep your head up that she's out there."

Sapphire was quiet, but she agreed. She has been pessimistic for a long time.

* * *

"RUN STEVEN!" Ruby was able to escape, letting Steven run ahead.

With the mob behind them, they sprinted off without looking back, but they knew they couldn't run straight ahead for too long.

Steven has completely forgotten Ruby, running off somewhere else once the stomping feet behind them quieted down, turning right towards the more darker side of town. Ruby, who was sweating buckets but is getting away from the group very quickly, tries to follow.

He was still visible, running straight down the street, with his burger backpack bouncing around.

She couldn't make any loud noises when there's probably _hundreds_ of zombies hiding in that side. She simply ran, with no lingering feet or groaning or _anything_ of the sorts, thankfully. She felt weighed down by her jacket and big hair getting in her way. In the corner of her eye, she saw Steven's red sweater and stopped, looking at the teen with his knees to his chest and his head in his hands.

"Hey Steven, it's okay... I think we got away..." Ruby said in-between breaths.

He lifted his head up, his eyes filled with tears, but smiled widely when he realizes it's only Ruby.

Ruby sits down on the wet ground, arms on her lap, and let out a deep sigh.

"I just want to go home..." Ruby sniffled. She expected Steven to say that, but it seems like Ruby was feeling that way deeper.

"We're going home. We just... We just hit a bump!" Steven raised his voice slightly, brightly smiling at his current-caretaker.

"I don't know how you do it, kid. All these things are happening, but you still smile."

"Because we're fighting! We're fighting to live and survive. I wish we didn't have to kill them, but..."

"Hey, it's cool, I don't think anyone wants to kill. Except that group, they're obviously crazy."

"Yeah." Steven still smiled.

"Who were you with before?"

"I was with my dad. My mom was with another group and I just hope she's okay too."

Ruby hummed, "You'll see them soon."

* * *

"Okay, is there a plan at all? To look for Rose, Pearl, and Ruby?" Garnet sat on one of the couches with her arms crossed over her chest. Everyone was clad in some type of flannel or sweatshirt.

The room has since decayed and became dull in colors and the ambience went from comfortable to eerie and very creepy to be in. It really gives you the cold shoulder and feels like you're being watched being in there.

Garnet, Lapis, and Peridot sat on the now-ripped up couches and Amethyst and Sapphire sat on the dirty floor covered in wet mud and dried-up mud.

"We can't just split apart like that... But we can't leave this place, either!" Peridot interjects. She has gotten used to her single arm; she seems to like it a little bit.

Everyone sat quietly, pondering on the idea on just _what the fuck_ they are going to do.

Garnet clicked her tongue, "I'm out of ideas."

"Me too."  
"Agreed."  
"Yeah."

The group of five sat there, uncomfortable in that moment.

Sapphire looked only at her lap. She had no opinions to say outloud; the only thing she thought was to just play sitting duck and patiently wait for Ruby to come back.

"The room just got cold." Lapis stared around, confused as to why it felt that way.

"Yeah, I feel it, too." Amethyst looked to her right, where Sapphire silently sat.

"It is nearing winter." Garnet stands up, cracking her knuckles, "I'm gonna try to fix the heating system. Good night everyone."

Everyone said their goodnights to her and sat in the room in silence, but it now only freezing up.

"Got any Peri plans in that big head of yours?" Lapis directed her question to Peridot.

"Hardy-har-har." Peridot forced, "There's really nothing we can do. We can think of everything we can to get around it, but there's always going to be a hole in the plan."

Everyone only sighed and looked down at the ground.

The only thing is hope.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello, a while ago, Keystone County was deleted off of here and AO3. My reasoning being that I do not like that story and compared to other stories, it was weak and got more hate than every other story. I have grown thicker skin against it, but it's more that even I don't like that story.  
> Will I rewrite it? Maybe! But, for now, it needs to be gone.  
> I'm sorry to those that liked that one.  
> Review and shit.


	11. Chapter 11

"Put your back into it, guys!" Garnet encouraged.

The group was still stuck at the hotel, trying to build some kind of fence or wall to block anything out.

Amethyst and Sapphire were helping each other. It was finally spring again. They managed to make it through the harsh winter with the help of Garnet manning the heating system.

"I feel like it's been years..." Amethyst huffed.

"It has," Sapphire sighed, "Almost one year, actually."

Everyone was disgruntled, tired, and hopeless, but everyone was still together.

"Luckily, we haven't had to get rid of any zombies. I think this place is clean."

"I wouldn't be so confident in that statement."

The two, in a long while, laughed. It brought tears to their eyes and finally some weight lifted, but Ruby was still the reason why they were still there at all.

* * *

"So, how long have you been here?" It was a familiar voice.

Ruby shot her eyes open. She knew she was no match for a group of thugs. Ruby saw Steven run off and away as fast as possible. It's all she can think about anymore after that.

"J-Jasper?!" Ruby sits up.

"I've never been happier to see a twerp like you." Jasper held out her hand.

Ruby grabs and stands up, "I've been here since the beginning of winter..."

"Holy shit."

Ruby and Jasper were stuck in what felt like a prison. For whatever unknown reasons, the mob took them in and then made them into working slaves. Ruby knows for a fact that she is long ways from where Sapphire could be.

"I just got here yesterday and this place is already a piece of shit. We can't stay here until we die, Ruby."

"I know. But these people are brainwashed. They don't believe they can ever get out." Ruby stared at the large group the mob has accumulated.

"There should be a few who would be willing."

"You look for any takers and I'll look for a way out," Ruby whispered.

The two split and went on their merry way.

Ruby looked at walls and the ceiling and it looked sealed off completely at a single glance. However, upon further inspection revealed a few openings in the ceiling, presumably for air, and a convenient place to hook a rope to.

_Bingo._

"Ruby, this is Bismuth." Ruby turned around to two very tall muscular women.

"Pleasure," Ruby said as she shook hands with her. She was much like Jasper, in height and mass, but dark skin and dulled out rainbow dreadlocks made her stick out.

"Finally someone who sees eye-to-eye with me on this whole thing!" Bismuth rubbed her hands together.

"Before we suggest anything," Ruby cleared her throat, "Do you have any ideas?"

* * *

"Are you still hopeful that Ruby is still out there?" Sapphire asked as she took a bite out of a cracker covered in cheese.

"Duh! I know she's out there, I can feel it!" Amethyst placed her dirty boots on the coffee table.

They sat in the lobby, waiting for time to pass by.

"I just want to go searching... Just walk and see what happens." Sapphire sighs deeply.

"I get what you mean, but we can't do that without a full plan or even an idea where Ruby could be!"

They were stuck in the same clothes for the past year. It's like the smell has went away and they got used to it. The shower still worked, but washers and dryers weren't exactly an option.

"I wish we had walkie-talkies," Sapphire finished one cracker in her packet.

"Me too, but everything was so hectic, we didn't have a chance to fix any means of communicating. Pearl made it worse by calling our other hideout the "Communication Hub.'"

"Where was it?"

"Pretty far off," Amethyst tried to remember, "It had two more of our group camping out. It's probably gone at this point. Those two should have been here if nothing happened."

"Oh? What were their names?"

"Greg and Steven."

* * *

Ruby was pushing a wheelbarrow full of dirt. It was their work time and they were worked past their limits in order to make the place "secure." She thought that was complete bullshit at every degree.

She dumped the dirt into a large pile and headed back. The place was definitely like a prison. Wooden fencing, concrete building, and work all day with small meals. The difference was that they were made to sleep outside while the mob stayed in where they're the safe ones.

She had sweat all over her face and arms, but if she stopped, who knows what that mob was capable of.

Jasper and Bismuth were doing the digging and talking to each other as they were doing so. They were basically whispering, since there's two guards watching their every move.

"This is such crap, Ruby," Jasper growled as Ruby walked by with the wheelbarrow.

"Yeah well, I've been dealing with this for months."

"How do you do anything anymore? It's already bad enough that dead people are walking around. You motherfuckers have the nerve to have fucking slaves..."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Referring to Jasper's comment, she threw her shovel to the ground, "You heard me! You ain't doing shit to be a better place!"

The guard instantly start to aggressively beat their end of the gun against Jasper's nose, until she was bleeding to death.

"EITHER OF YOU WANT SOME?!"

Ruby and Bismuth turned around, wanting none.

Behind them, they heard them lifting Jasper off the ground and taking her to probably have a talk with the leader.

"This is going to be hard..."

"No kidding," Bismuth replied.

 


	12. Chapter 12

 

Jasper was back in the large room all the prisoners slept in. Her nose was snitched and bandaged up. She sat by the fire, in-between Ruby and Bismuth.

"We need to do something..." Jasper growled through gritted teeth.

"Any ideas?" Ruby crossed her arms over her chest.

"We can only go up in this room." Bismuth pointed towards the rope hanging at the top.

The room was two floors, but the second one was inaccessible since the ladder was ripped and broken apart.

"The door is blocked by two guards," Bismuth adds.

"You think there's a way up?" Ruby asks.

"There's a rope, but if Jasper and I work together..." Bismuth cracked her knuckles, "We can boost you up there."

Ruby looks towards the ledge behind them, not really sure where it lead to.

"You have any idea what's up there?" She asks.

"No clue, but I have confidence that it leads to the rest of the building or the roof, for sure."

"There's people on the roof, no question."

"Ruby, we'll boost you up tomorrow night, right Jasper?"

Jasper was silent and stayed staring at the bonfire, but nodded.

* * *

In cold sweat, Ruby held the wooden board as Bismuth hammered it down with nails.

"Work faster!" The guard yelled out from the roof.

Ruby scoffed, but listened anyway.

"This blows," Ruby mumbled under her breath.

"Don't worry, we got this under control," Bismuth whispered.

"It' so weird... There's not a zombie for miles here..." Ruby changed subjects.

"It is a little strange. It must have taken a while for anyone to get rid of them to not show up for days."

"Right, they want it to be secure after all."

"But they didn't have to have prisoners..."

They continued to work, getting their wall halfway done.

"I can't wait to eat... whatever they give us once a day..." Ruby clears her throat as she sat near the fire.

"It's crushed up granola bars and peaches." Bismuth replies as she sat next to her at the fire.

"Where do they get peaches from?"

"A bunch of cans they found, probably."

"We'll all be malnourished by the time this place is even done."

"Well! When Jasper gets here and those gates close, we'll get you up there in a snap."

"I'm trusting you on this," Ruby gulped.

* * *

Jasper arrived, still looking exhausted and tired from her work.

"Hey Jasper, are you alright?" Bismuth patted the area next to her to sit down.

Jasper falls with a loud thud next to the two, "We need to get out of here... My face is killing me."

As soon as Jasper finished her sentence, the gate slammed shut.

"Alright, let's get started." Bismuth clapped her hands, "Hey- hey! Everyone, gather around."

The place was suddenly low in population, losing more than half overnight.

"We have a plan to get Ruby here up there." Bismuth stands up, "I would like all of you to stay as casual as possible."

The group of people simply agreed with her; they all started to spread out and tried to cover where the three were going to be.

"Okay, quickly!" Bismuth ran to the corner where the ladder used to be.

Ruby and Jasper followed-suit, rushing over, into the corner where Bismuth was already ready to boost Ruby up.

Jasper got into position and let Ruby step onto her hands with her dirty construction boot.

Stepping on both hands, they both lifted her up and she grabs onto the ledge. She had enough arm strength to lift herself up and get to the second floor.

"Holy shit it worked..." She whispered to herself.

"Ruby," Bismuth was whispering, but also loud enough to be heard, "Just search around."

"Got it, make sure it's not obvious that I'm gone." Then, Ruby ran off.

* * *

Ruby noticed that it had two ways: one going up and one going straight.

She figured that going up would be easier, so she went up the short ladder. She pushes the trap door, which was unlocked, and peeked through a tiny sliver.

She noticed one person guarding the roof, but they were currently facing away from her. She felt her heart stop seeing them, so she quietly shut the door again. She huffs and goes to the door, also unlocked and lead into a long and lit hallway. She didn't want to walk in just yet; she heard two individuals speaking.

She closes it again to listen through the door.

**"Do you think it's actually fucked up that we actually have prisoners here?"**

**"Well... Shit, yeah! But, that's the leader's idea, if he knew we disagree, who know what will happen..."**

**"It's fucked, man..."**

Ruby was kind of happy hearing that the some of the minions also don't like the whole prisoner thing. It is possible that there's always _someone_ who disagrees.

She hears the voices becoming more faint and harder to hear, she decides to start making her move.

It was simply a hallway; the door she came out of being the only one in it.

She heard the voices fading left, so she ran to the right. As she reached the end, it was like an audience room. A small room with nothing but a large window to look through.

It was currently only being lit on the other side of the window, so she crouched and looked through.

She saw a large group at the bottom. The ones pointing guns and the ones tied on the floor.

She squints to see if she recognized the group.

Sadly, she did.

Her eyes widen. _Sapphire!_

She ran out of the room and back into the large prisoner area. She was breathing heavily, but she went to the edge, "Get me down!"

"What happened?!" Bismuth whisper-yelled. She lifted her arms to catch her.

Ruby turned around and fell backwards, falling into Bismuth's arms gracefully.

"What did you see?"

"I saw our old group, Jasper!" Ruby ran to the large woman sitting at the fire.

"What?!" Jasper jumps out of her chair.

"They're here!"

They suddenly heard the door being unlocked.

Ruby and Jasper sat down near the fire, while Bismuth went to go somewhere to sleep early.

"In here!"

The group was pushed and shoved into the large room, falling onto the floor, and the door shutting again.

Amethyst stood up the quickest and banged on the door, "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Sapphire sat up and rubbed her head, but when she looks up, she sees Ruby, who was looking back at her.

"Ruby?" Sapphire's voice wavered, already on the verge of tears.

"Sapphy!" Ruby rushed to her to hug her tight.

Sapphire wrapped her arms around her neck, as close as she can bring her.

Tears staining each other's shirts and hands gripping onto each other tightly, it felt like heaven being together.

"I missed you so much..." Sapphire's cracking voice managed to say.

Ruby couldn't say anything. She just needed her and wanted to stay with her silently.

Everyone around them watched, feeling a sense of hope and humanity again.

* * *

"What were you doing the whole time we've been apart?" Ruby asked as she ran her hands through Sapphire's fading hair.

The two were able to find strength again to move, going to way Ruby sleeps on the floor and lying together. Sapphire rested her head against Ruby's shoulder, her hand resting over Ruby's chest.

"We all just worked and kept that hotel up. I thought about you constantly and I never stopped thinking." Sapphire can feel Ruby's still-racing heart.

"Did you ever feel hopeless again?"

"... Would you be mad if I did?"

"No, I understand. We were separated. We promised to stay together..."

"Well, they better try harder to tear us apart this time." Sapphire genuinely laughed for once in a while. "... I don't know what it is about you."

"What do you mean?"

"Never in my entire life have I ever felt so complete with someone. I've never wanted to stay around someone for a long time. Practically forever..."

"I feel the same way." Ruby held her closer. "When I saw you in there, Sapphire, that room... Whoever did that will get whatever's coming to them."

"I'm glad they aren't here. They looked like the leader, but I'm not sure if that was them. It all happened in a blur... Both getting beaten to death and being brought here..."

"And I'll protect you." Ruby sat up and Sapphire followed. She places her hands on Sapphire's cheeks, looking into her one blue eye.

"U-um... I see your eye got better!" Ruby put her hands down again.

"Oh, yes, it's not painful anymore, so I'm happy I can finally live a little better... As better it can be."

"Good, you never told me that's how you were feeling."

"I wasn't that comfortable to say so. But, I'm going to miss having two eyes. Everyone liked me because of blue eyes."

"Because you're pretty." Ruby said boldly.

"Yes, I look great with all these scars on me." Sapphire said sarcastically.

Ruby chuckled, "You know what I mean!"

She looked at the horizontal scar on the right side of Sapphire's lips, trailing down to the ones on the back of her hands and the large gash on Sapphire's right palm.

Sapphire was suddenly silent.

Ruby stayed patient, waiting if Sapphire had something on her mind.

"Ruby... the reason why my eye is gone is because," Sapphire gulped, "the person who held me captive... took it out."

Ruby felt suddenly sick listening to that.

"They cut me up and used me as bait most of the time. They thought I didn't do a good job one time and took it out and made me... made me..."

"You don't have to! Please, I can tell you're hurting remembering it."

Sapphire sat side-by-side with her, resting her head on her shoulder, "... I didn't know who they were. They just took me."

"... Was this before or after the apocalypse?"

"... Before."

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

Ruby and Sapphire fell asleep peacefully; Ruby resting against Sapphire's rising and falling chest, with her arms around her waist.

"GET UP, TEAM!"

Ruby wakes up first, fumbling for a moment, and wakes up Sapphire.

The whole room was running to the front. It was the leader, after all, so everyone ran to the middle.

"It's 5 AM! All of you finish what you started yesterday! Except... you!"

They pointed at Sapphire, who was holding Ruby's hand tightly.

"What do you want with her?" Ruby asked.

"NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS! EVERYONE, GO WORK, NOW!"

Everyone followed, but Ruby stayed behind with Sapphire.

"You can't separate us again!" Ruby put her arm around Sapphire's waist as she yelled.

"Boo-fucking-hoo! You want to argue more?!" They pointed their gun in between Ruby's eyes.

"It's okay, Ruby..." Sapphire said in a sad tone.

Ruby followed, letting go of her and leaving to her job.

* * *

"So, you and that Sapphire there... You guys a thing?" Bismuth asked.

"I'm not sure, actually. I don't think a romantic relationship would be something we should worry about in these times." Ruby placed the wooden board for the fence.

Bismuth hummed, "You guys sure are close."

"Yeah," Ruby smiled, "But, I don't know what they want with her..."

Bismuth sighs as she hammers the board, "That's pretty risky, Ruby."

"You think? I know that already!"

Ruby was already worried and panicking of having to let her go to them like that.

"I'm sure she'll be fine after, though. Everyone who has ever seen him on their own come back alive."

"That's reassuring," Ruby lied. She wiped sweat off her forehead.

"I'm sure. I've spoken to them before."

"About?"

"Apparently I did something wrong? They smacked me around a couple times, but they know they can't take me down."

Ruby lets out a deep sigh.

"Ruby!"

She hears behind her and turns to see Amethyst running with a shovel. She was still wearing the same clothes, even more tattered and her hair now missing the color it once had.

She comes up, out of breath, but says, "I couldn't talk to you because Sapphire needed you! How are ya, man?!"

"As good as I can be!" Ruby replied, getting up to hug her.

They hugged tightly, laughing like they're actually human again.

"Oh man, it's great to see you! Where's Sapphire?"

"The leader took her. I don't know why, though..."

"Oh," Amethyst's eyebrows furrowed, "Oh shit..."

"Bismuth here told me not to worry," Ruby pointed with her thumb at her.

"Oh, hey! Name's Amethyst," Amethyst reached out to shake her hand.

"Hey, welcome to the team," Bismuth said as she shakes her hand, "Between us, we're getting out."

"Good," Amethyst agreed, "I hate it here already."

As the two spoke, Ruby stared at the building, wondering what's going on with Sapphire.

* * *

It was nighttime, everyone was now inside and resting. It seemed everyone put in all their effort to finish what they were assigned today.

Sapphire was lying down where Ruby and her slept at, looking towards the wall.

Ruby approaches, lying down next to her, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, they were just... they just wanted to talk."

"Are you sure?"

Sapphire turns around towards her, grabbing onto her arm to cuddle with, "Yeah, they were really creepy, but... they didn't touch me, if that's what you were worried about."

"More than that," Ruby replied, "Can I ask you something?"

"What's on your mind?"

Ruby cleared her throat, "What are we?"

Sapphire looked at her, confused.

"Are we together?" Ruby asks directly, "Are we romantically involved?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Bismuth asked. I just wanted to know your opinion on it."

"I can't lie to you, I do feel like there's something between us. But, if you think that everything is too stressful for love... We can always still be a duo."

Ruby stayed quiet. She didn't know what to do. Everything was too much and having romantic feelings is hard when all there is around them is stress and violent tension.

"I don't know, honestly. I have feelings, but where we are and what were faced with. It's hard to focus."

"And I understand."

"All I know for sure, right now, is that I will fight for you..."

"I'll do the same for you," Sapphire gets up and looks at Ruby. She looked down at her with a sense of happiness in her eye.

"I'll do this to make up for the stress," Sapphire suddenly plants her lips onto Ruby's. Rough and chapped lips, it gave them both a new feeling. Ruby was too stunned to react, her heart pounding and palms sweating.

Sapphire pulls away, "Did I scare you?"

"N-no!"

In the distance, Amethyst, Bismuth, and Jasper sat around together.

"Hot damn," Bismuth chuckled, "They are so a thing."

"They're good together. They should get to know each other more, though." Amethyst joked.

Jasper simply looked over, a tiny smile on her face.

* * *

"What was your favorite thing to do before the apocalypse?" Ruby asked Sapphire in her arms.

"I was a singer. I was in the church choir because of my family, but I enjoyed singing whenever." Sapphire remembered how she used to always join talent shows.

Everyone was asleep. It was obvious that more people were removed from the prison.

"What about you?" Sapphire asks back.

"I dabbled in sports. I was mostly in UFC." Ruby didn't want to name every sport she participated in, because it was _all of them_. "That's why I'm so strong."

"I would have probably been your fan if I saw you in the ring. Even though I don't know much."

"Everyone liked me, so I would count on it! But, I would have taken an interest in you too."

They both giggle with each other. The possibilities of meeting each other prior was endless and, obviously, more preferable.

"What was your first impression of me? After meeting in that room." Ruby asks more.

"Well, you're nice and very attractive. You cared a lot about me, which is something I haven't felt in a while. What about me?"

"You're approachable. You come off as distant, but now I know I can tell you everything. And very pretty, duh."

Ruby realizes Sapphire's sentence.

"How long was a while?"

"I barely counted. It felt like forever. I'd guess a few months or more."

Ruby holds her tighter.

"You doing that doesn't seem good." Sapphire admits.

"You're revealing a lot of things someone shouldn't ever experience in their life. I would like to give you all the respect and love you deserve."

"It's fine, I mean... You doing that feels nice... I like it."

"Me too," Ruby grins widely, "I would like to always do it."

"No one's stopping you."

* * *

"I still don't hate this thing," Ruby referred to the bowl of granola peaches in her hand.

The eating schedule was changed to morning. It was apparently evident that they weren't working as hard when served at night.

"I don't think you like it, it's just what we have." Bismuth said, then ate a spoonful of her own.

Sapphire was given something different, however. It seemed to be an actual sandwich, two white bread and a slice of cheese. It was given to her after everyone else got their bowls.

"I don't like that this is what I got..." Sapphire was sitting next to Ruby.

"Me neither," Amethyst finished her bowl, "I'll take it, if you don't want it."

"It's all yours," she passes it.

Amethyst devours it, but Ruby heard Sapphire's stomach growl loudly.

Ruby passed her bowl to her, "Take it. You're starving, I know it."

"Are you sure-

"Absolutely."

Elsewhere, Lapis, Peridot, and Garnet were together and eating. These three were in bad shape, worse than Amethyst and Sapphire, simply because they were the one's fighting off the evil group when they caught them.

"We should be with them," Garnet mentions.

"Maybe later," Lapis takes a few more bites and pushes it aside, "I'm too tired to greet them. I know I should be happy."

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, GO OUTSIDE TO GET ASSIGNED A NEW JOB! Except you! You stay in here."

"What? They're leaving Sapphire inside again." Garnet notices, "Something fishy is going on...

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

****"I have a bad feeling about them leaving Sapphire inside more..." Ruby growled as she cut dead branches off of plants in the greenhouse. The greenhouse was all filled with tall plants filled with foods in the works. Where seeds came from is a mystery.

"You should investigate!" Amethyst recommended, also doing the same task on the other side of the building, "I have a bad feeling too!"

"Amethyst, come here," Ruby waved her hand.

"You have a plan?" She asks as she ran over.

"Just a heads up, I guess?" Ruby places her shears down. "If something happens to Sapphire or they take me with them, please try to get to us, somehow."

"Promise, Ruby. I'm hella worried..." Amethyst goes back to her work.

Ruby rolls her head around, trying to crack her neck, "Is it just me, or does it feel like we're getting weaker..."

"I feel it. We're not eating or exercising right... Not like I exercised before, but I would like to be fed correctly."

"As do everyone else," Ruby places a palm on her forehead, "Also showering... That would be nice."

"They have running water, my dude. It's already working around these parks."

"No fucking way... I need it so bad, it's not even funny."

"Yeah, they smell better than we ever had. I'm surprised they kept any shampoo around at all!"

"That isn't right! Give us a hose to use at least."

The two laughed with each other for a moment, but after that, they went back to working diligently on their plants.

* * *

Ruby was lying down on her thin blanket, arms behind her head and staring up at the ceiling. Sapphire was still missing from the room.

"Ruby, you want in on the gossip?" Amethyst walked over from the fire and sat next to her.

"No, I just want to know where she is..."

"She'll turn up eventually. I'm sure she's fine." Amethyst comforted. "But! Let me tell you something funny to cheer you up!"

Ruby chuckled, but went along, "What story do you have to tell?"

"I once made a giant burrito of pizza and then just shoved it down my throat! It was amazing! I have never eaten something so fast and HUGE in my damn life! Shit! That was when life was easier."

"Sounded great! I only ever ate healthy foods and stayed healthy because I was sporty."

"That's lame! You never had cheat days?!"

"My parents wouldn't let me! I was always in teams and I was starting to become a UFC pro... Want to count my pushups?"

"I'll try, but you should count for yourself."

"Okay," Ruby chortled. She gets into position, palms aligned with her shoulders and the balls of her feet against the floor, "I'm ready."

She perfectly goes up and down, arms making a perfect ninety degree angles.

"1... 2... 3... 4..." Amethyst counted out loud.

It continued until she was in the forties.

"44... 45... 46... 47... 4- SAPPHIRE!"

Ruby immediately falls onto her chest on the ground. She looks to see Sapphire looking slightly... uneasy.

Ruby gets up right away and runs to her, grabbing her in a tight embrace, getting one in return.

"Are you okay?" She asks her.

"They're going to do something later..." She responds in a low voice.

"W-what do you me-

"It's us, Ruby. I overheard them and they're going to do something..."

Ruby was tightly holding Sapphire's wrists, now also uneasy, but Sapphire gives a slight smile.

"Whatever it is, we're working together, okay?"

"Amethyst," Ruby turns around, letting Sapphire go.

"Yes'm?" Amethyst stands up, hands on her hips.

"Remember what I said, when they take us, find a way to get to where we are..."

She nods. They both give each other dap, handshaking and a pound hug.

Ruby and Sapphire walk away, walking towards where the ledge to the second floor is.

"Where have you been?" Ruby asks.

"They took me to their office. They weren't as creepy... until they walked out." Sapphire grabs onto Ruby's arm. "I'm scared what they're going to do. I'm sure it's not killing us."

"Well, that's a relief."

"Yeah, but... It might be humiliating."

"Shit..."

Sapphire rested against the wall, "I haven't done anything around here."

"That's what has been bothering me. They're constantly keeping you. Keeping you away from _me_."

"It's fine, Ruby," Sapphire reaches to her, hands on her shoulders, "You're there to actually protect me this time."

Ruby shines a sly smirk, "One more kiss couldn't hurt, right?"

She was already leaning in and Sapphire was reciprocating, however, the now-working PA system turns on.

**"Ruby Harris and Sapphire Johnson, please come to my office. Sapphire, you know where it is."**

Sapphire sighs, "Oh no."

"Lead the way."

* * *

Arriving to the scarily close office, Sapphire walks in first. The office was dark, a single desk, office chair, and a gun sitting atop of the desk behind them. The walls and flooring were wooden and smelled so rotten within the place.

"Good evening..." Sapphire greets.

"Welcome! First time, right Ruby?" They greet her first.

The question was creepily suggestive. The middle-aged person had a glare and a smirk, with a bomber jacket of sorts.

"You're probably wondering why you're both here."

"I've been wondering why you keep bringing Sapphire here." Ruby crosses her arms over her chest, flexing slightly.

"Just asking a few questions here and there... It's obvious you two are romantically involved..."

The relationship wasn't official at all, just going to kiss and be for each other 24/7, but they've been caught red-handed.

"Now, you two ladies will come with me somewhere." They then grab the gun off the table, "And please, do not try anything too barbaric."

They walked out, waiting for the two women to follow.

The two held each other's hands tightly as they walked out.

* * *

They were brought to what was a regular room. It had a king-sized bed, good lighting, and a separate room for a bathroom.

They were shocked that this was actually in the building.

"Please, take a shower and come right back out." They insisted, "I'll be back in thirty minutes, no later."

Ruby and Sapphire quickly walked into the bathroom and closed it shut.

The bathroom was similar to the one at the hotel they stayed at. It was simply cleaner, somehow, and better shampoos and soaps for use.

"I guess we shower together..." Ruby goes to start the shower. It was automatically perfect temperature heat.

They were both suddenly awkward and shy, realizing they have to undress.

"Oh! They gave us nice clothes." Sapphire goes to the clothes sitting on the sink counter.

"Thank god," Ruby start to fumble with her bloody and dirt-covered jacket, "I'm done with these."

"Right..." Sapphire starts to do the same.

Sapphire has been stuck in that dress since the beginning, wearing jeans under and a ripped jacket over everything. Ruby was in the red jacket and blue hat she was given three months into the apocalypse.

"I'm glad you weren't here when we had to sleep outside..." Ruby brings to ignore the awkward atmosphere. She starts to take her jacket off.

"And you didn't get sick?" Sapphire starts to strip as well; she was faster than Ruby at doing so.

"It didn't last long, I was there for a few days and they were able to put us inside."

"That's good..."

They were both bare and revealing every part of themselves. As expected, both were covered in hair and a few cuts in their skin. Sapphire was more than covered in deep cuts and scrapes.

"Alright, let's do this..." Ruby walks in first.

* * *

Let's just say the shower was more than silent.

The duo avoided looking at each other as much as possible, only making occasional remarks such as "you're completely covered in dirt" and "don't forget to use the soap."

Sapphire changed first, into a large flannel, actual boxer briefs, and a pair of blue jeans.

"You look great," Ruby complimented. She comes out and change into the gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, and back in her blue hat.

"Thank you, and my my, aren't you lovely?" Sapphire said in awe.

It was exactly thirty minutes when they finished.

"Okay, ladies," they hear through the door, "It's time to come out."

Ruby and Sapphire hesitated. It was evident that there was a strong presence on the other side, but they both took a deep breath and walked through.

They were greeted by the entire group of men that controlled the whole facility, all bearing arms.

"Now, ladies, don't be threatened. We simply ask you to do something for us." The leader requested.

All the men in the room pointed their guns at the two.

"Please, get on the bed and check under the pillow, it'll be reference to what they want."

Their hearts pounding, but they obeyed. Ruby reaches under the pillow, feeling something cold and phallic shaped.

* * *

[ **LOL it was NSFW, but I wasn't comfortable with that there, so...]**

As Sapphire was reaching her peak, the door was suddenly broken through, and a round of continuous gun shots were heard. Ruby was startled, but she then rolls them to hide behind the bed from them.

"Whoa, what were you doing you two!" It was Amethyst's voice. Her, Garnet, Peridot, Lapis, and Jasper had come to their rescue, with hands filled with guns and knives.

"It's a long story..." Ruby said in-between pants.

"Thank god it's over..." Sapphire said in Ruby's shoulder. She still feels shaken from her almost-orgasm.

Around them, the bodies of the group of men lied on the ground in a large pool of blood.

"Can you please let me dress first?" Ruby asked her group that has made a sudden appearance.

"No problem, man! But you have to explain everything!"

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Everyone was starting to loot the place. Even the members who were a part of the prison were now working on getting anything they can get for their groups.

"So, what _were_ you and Sapphire doing?" Amethyst asks as she was carrying a box with Ruby to the truck the captors had.

Ruby was carrying two boxes, "They wanted us to have sex in front of them. A free show as they called it."

"Holy shit, dude. I just saw them with guns pointed at you two, but I didn't think that they would do _that_!"

"Yeah, well, they would have killed us if we didn't give what they want. I don't want to know what they would've done after that."

"Me neither. I hope Sapphire is okay..." Amethyst places the box inside the truck bed.

"I'll ask her later," Ruby follows, "I let her stay inside the truck."

"Did Garnet let you drive the truck with just the two of you?" Amethyst crosses her arms.

"She did! I guess it would be right after what happened?"

"Right," Amethyst nodded, "Just a few more boxes, Ruby! Then, we'll be on the road!"

"We should look for some gasoline for the cars."

"Oh, right."

* * *

"Alright, is that it?" Ruby asked after tying the boxes down with tie-downs.

"Yup!" Amethyst exclaimed, "Gas, extra food, extra clothes, and... no destination."

"We'll be going into the next state." Garnet suddenly shows up behind her.

"We're going west?" Ruby jumps down from the truck.

"It becomes very cold here, so we should move somewhere else where there's no snow."

"Sounds like a good plan."

"Alright, start your engines, team!" Garnet walks away.

"I'll follow behind you, okay?" Ruby said to Amethyst.

"Fo' sho'! Talk to Sapphire, okay?"

"I will. See you later." Ruby smiles and goes to the truck.

She opens the door and jumps into the driver seat. Sapphire was resting her head against the window.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ruby asked as she shuts the door.

"Yeah," Sapphire sits up straight, "I just can't believe that happened..."

Ruby starts the truck.

"I hope I didn't hurt you."

"You didn't," Sapphire grips her flannel tightly.

"So you've done it before?"

"... No."

Ruby stayed silent.

"I'm sorry-

"No, don't be. There was no other way around that. We were unarmed and they surrounded us. Please, don't ever apologize." Sapphire grabs Ruby's hand that was reaching over.

"It was pretty cool how fast they just fell, you know?" Sapphire changed subjects.

Ruby made a "tch" sound, "It was, huh? Amethyst always seemed to be trigger happy."

Sapphire shows a small smile, "I believe that."

* * *

It was a few hours before the group had to stop. It was pitch black outside and both groups gas tanks were low.

"Fuck," Ruby growled as she turned her truck off.

Sapphire was asleep in her seat, head against the glass, and arms crossed on her lap.

"Guess we're sleeping in here until sunlight hits." Ruby sighs. She rubs her forehead from a minor headache she was starting to feel.

"Why did we stop?" Sapphire asks as she lifts her head up.

"Gas is low and the group in front of us decided to stop. No way in hell we'll be walking out there to talk." Ruby crossed her arms. "Go back to sleep, Sapphire. We deserve some."

"I'm awake. I was asleep for so long and now I can't go back."

Ruby snickered, but she stayed awake. "Is there something on your mind?"

Sapphire was quiet, trying to find something to talk about.

She couldn't think about it long. At Ruby's door, a rotting and limping corpse showed up through the window and banged its fists against the already breaking glass.

"Shit shit shit!" Ruby screamed as she backed up closer to Sapphire's side.

Ruby tried to grab for her ax, but it was definitely out of reach.

She repeated kicked the zombie's head, only growling and reaching out to them as much as possible. She kicked hard enough for it to stumble back, able to grab her axe, and finally get out and attack it.

Swinging from the right, she swung the ax into its neck. It immediately ruined her new clothes and freshly washed face, but yanking the axe out and directly driving it into its skull and brain in a single swoop, she felt adrenaline fuel her awake.

Finally, Amethyst jumped out of the car. She shined the light in Ruby's eyes.

"Woah, are you okay, man?!" She asked in serious worry.

"Yeah, it came out of nowhere... Did you see it?"

"No, it's dark as fuck! I shouldn't have turned the headlights off."

"Nah man, I got it. I am a fighter."

"Obviously! But, get back inside and see if Sapphire is okay. Is your window busted?"

"Yeah..."

"Try to cover it. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Ruby covered it with the one sheet they had and slept with her head leaning back with her mouth open.

Sapphire was also asleep, feet on the dashboard and head against the window.

"YO RUBY!"

Unfortunately, because the window is broken, both women jerked up and were fully awake.

"Fuck, I'm awake!" Ruby snorted and then stood up straight.

"I hope you are, because we need to eat first before we head out again."

The two get out, groggy and walking strangely since their feet fell asleep, and walking to the group that was sitting on the side.

Everyone was just as tired, except for Jasper.

Who looked wide-eyed and distracted; looking directly at Lapis for so long that it was uncomfortable.

"What's the plan, group?" Ruby asked as she crossed her arms in the cold wind.

"We're still moving west." Garnet reminds, "With these vehicles, we'll be able to get rather far, and the extra canisters of gas will pull us a long way."

Suddenly, Jasper stands and leaves the little circle. Everyone watched as she disappeared behind the small semi-truck they were driving in.

"I'm... a little scared of what happened to Jasper," Lapis admitted first.

"She was nearly beaten to death back at the camp. Her nose was basically broken to no return." Ruby cleared her throat at the memory.

"She's always been kind of unstable." Peridot finally sits down next to Lapis, "I've known her since the beginning of this apocalypse ordeal and she's just... out of the loop, I should say."

When the group started going into a deeper conversation, they suddenly heard the truck rev on.

"What the fu- JASPER!" Garnet ran to the truck, grabbing the door handle, but it wouldn't open.

"OPEN THE DOOR, JASPER!" She repeatedly slapped her hand against the window and car hood.

The rest of the group stood up and ran to it as well.

Ruby, Lapis, and Bismuth reached the truck and banged their fists on the truck to stop Jasper in her tracks.

The truck suddenly sped away, making everyone jump back away and get dust thrown in their faces as the truck left.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Ruby yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Uuuuuuuh..." Amethyst was looking elsewhere. "Now we have bigger problems..."

Everyone turned around and there was a mob of zombies getting closer to them.

"Shit..." Ruby sneered.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Bloody.

That's one word to describe it.

Everyone was spread out and attacking everything around them.

The groans and growls, the rotten smell...

The zombies grabbed onto her at every angle, causing her swing and kick nonstop.

Everything was too much. Ruby lost sight of everyone. She didn't know where they could be, alive or dead, and she didn't know if she was going to make it out alive either.

When four hands grabbed onto her at once, she felt herself... give in, almost. She felt her vision blur and merge

"Come on, Ruby!"

She felt her sweater sleeve tug, then being dragged away.

The voice was scared and out of breath.

Sapphire...

She ran fast, Ruby hardly able to keep up, but she watches as the hoard fly by. In the distance, she can see everyone running off towards the same direction.

* * *

"Holy fuck, what the hell..." Lapis dusted off her legs and shoulders.

"Damn this shit..." Amethyst said, out of breath, "Someone get me out of this hellhole."

"You me both," Garnet places a rough hand onto Amethyst's back, "But, we have to keep moving. As much as we dream about living on the beach and sleeping for the next several years."

Ruby and Sapphire were leaning against each other. Ruby was starting to feel weak and unable, avoiding eye contact with anyone in this group, even Sapphire, who was looking directly at her.

"We're still moving west, team." She continues to speak, "And that's final."

"Yes... ma'am." Ruby huffed and kept a stern face.

* * *

"You think so?" Amethyst asked as she and Ruby walked together through the warm sunset.

Everyone was lined up in the front while the two lagged behind a couple feet. They were walking in what looked like the middle of nowhere; on the road and getting around obviously empty and abandoned cars and trucks.

"Yeah, what if it's all in our heads? Like, it's stressing us out and one person was driven to the point that they died and somehow came back?"

"That's deep as shit. That could happen." Amethyst walked with her hands resting against the back of her neck, "You're pretty smart."

"Nah, I was just a town boxer who didn't care about anything other than the ring..." Ruby chuckled at the thought. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Really? I'm not surprised. I was just another young adult trying to get by. I didn't do much before this happened. I ate and sleep, sometimes I switched the two. I remember thinking, "what the hell am I doing?" right when this happened."

"Crazy that our paths just happen to cross."

"Right on."

It was quiet for a moment before Ruby broke it again, "Do you think it'll be normal again?"

"Honestly... no. I think it'll always be like this. I mean, repopulate the earth, too? I don't think that can happen either."

"All we can do is survive, huh?"

"Yeah... Where were you when this happened?"

"I remember being outside. I think I was in a fight or breaking up one? I don't know. But, not in that city, that's for sure."

"You ever asked Sapphire where she was when this happened?"

"She told me about someone. She was kidnapped before this shit went down and they were the reason why she was in rough shape."

"Holy shit..."

"It hurt me. She's been through enough and seen enough... And then that stupid shit happened back at that camp... She's dealt with a lot."

"Right... God, man, I'm sorry about that whole thing that happened. You knew there was something fishy, right?"

"Of course. But, we were unarmed, guns pointed at every direction... There was probably better solutions to it. I haven't asked her about it. I doubt she would want to."

"I have a feeling that if she wanted to tell you. She'll just tell you."

"That makes sense."

"Hey, I helped her while you were MIA. I know a thing or two now."

"I can't thank you enough."

"Hey you two! Hurry up!" Bismuth yelled at them.

They didn't realize how far off they were now. The group stopped for them as they were passing a white truck about ten cars ahead.

"What do you think of her?" Ruby asked as they started to jog.

"She's cool, I guess. She's good at helping and planning shit out."

"I can agree with that. She's new, though, should we keep an eye out?"

"I don't think so."

When they caught up, Ruby just hummed.

* * *

"This is going to be impossible..." Peridot grumbled.

The group has stopped at a run down gas station in the middle of the freeway they were on.

"Lighten up, Peri." Ruby crossed her arms.

"Gee, thanks, that helps. We're lucky this gas station has bits and pieces of food around. That truck wasn't going to hold all of us together."

"We can do this." Bismuth encouraged, "There's always light at the end of paths and all that."

"Easy for you to say."

Ruby and Sapphire walked off behind metal shelves through the further aisles. The groups chatter was distant

"Hey, can we talk?" Sapphire grabs onto Ruby's callous hand.

"Sure," Ruby turns to her, "Something wrong?"

"What were you and Amethyst talking about?" She turns to her.

"Oh, uh, what could have happened, where we were when this happened, Bismuth... Why?"

"Curiousity, but I need to tell you more about what happened to me."

"Are you sure? I know it's a lot."

"It is, but you deserve to know. Seeing me the way I was when we first met obviously needs to be answered. You can't tell me that you have been wondering what happened..."

"Sapphire, I thoroughly believe that all I need to know is that someone kidnapped you and tortured you... And that I'm trying my best to keep you safe."

Sapphire was quiet for a few seconds before replying, "Then can we talk about what happened at the camp? Before I back out."

"Y-yeah, what's on your mind?"

"What were you thinking when it was happening?"

"... I was scared. I didn't know what to do or what I was doing. I'm sorry if it caused you any more pain of any kind-

"Please, don't be sorry. It did hurt, the whole virginity thing..."

Ruby's lips tighten together.

"I..." Sapphire took a deep breath, "I was scared too. I kind of got the same feeling I had when I was still captured..."

"Sapphire..."

She shushes her, "I just wanted to let you know that nothing changed. I still trust you fully and I know that you did it so we don't get shot."

Ruby just nods; it's what she was hoping for, slightly.

"All I ever ask for is for you to trust me. I promise to take care of you."

Sapphire gives a small peck on her cheek. "Please take good care of me."

She walks away back to the group, leaving Ruby stunned.

* * *

The next morning, they were on the road again.

Everyone has either lifted sleeves or removed clothing to put it around waists or over the shoulder as the sun beat down on them.

"Fuck... This is what my life has come to. To think I thought I was going to be on 600-Pound-Life by the time I was 30." Amethyst admitted.

"You think?" Ruby was behind her, carrying Sapphire on her back, since she said her leg was hurting.

"Pfft, yeah. You'd agree if you knew me back then."

"Alright then," Ruby snickers.

"How much longer?!" Amethyst yelled out to the group ahead.

"Shut your mouth!" Peridot yelled back.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the aisle..."

"We have to keep walking until we see shelter again." Garnet raised her voice.

Even Ruby groaned at that. She did not want to work for so long; it didn't matter if Sapphire was on her back or not.

"I can try to walk again..." Sapphire suggested.

"Nope," Ruby hopped slightly to reposition Sapphire, "I can do it. Hell, I'll do it the whole day!"

"I don't know about that..."


	17. Chapter 17

"This group is insane..." Rose murmured under her voice. Her and Pearl were back-to-back, lying down on the ground, in pitch darkness.

They were stuck... somewhere.

They were on the run for a good month. The duo were able to fight off and escape the zombies' or corrupted groups' grasps, survive on eating small handfuls of food they either had already or they took from being captured for a few minutes.

However, here they are, waiting in the dark, in freezing temperatures, clueless.

Their clothes were tattered, their stomachs growled, they yearned for real sun, they begged for a way out.

All they remembered was a electricity going through their bodies and blacking out completely. What lead up to it was blurry and unknown.

"But we can't just sit here!" Pearl snapped at her. "This wasn't supposed to happen..."

"We can come up with a plan, Pearl. I know it. We've made it this far."

* * *

"YES! IT'S A SUPER TARGET!" Amethyst exclaimed, tears in her eyes as she fell to her knees.

The beige Super Target was still on its feet, obviously damaged, but still whole. It only took about half a day of walking to get to it. It was near a Taco Bell and a crepe restaurant, which were only distinguished by the remnants of their signs.

"Who knows what could be in there." Ruby wondered as she looked up and the dull and broken red sign, spelling "upe Targ."

"I hope for broken Cheez-its and tents..."

"Well, let's see." Garnet says as she walks up to the broken automatic doors.

The doors were wide open, left open with large rocks, breaking the glasses. It was all destroyed on the inside. All the produce was wiped away, aisles were empty, all clothes were gone, all electronics were still there, but broken as shit.

"I will keep my hopes up!"

"Should we split?" Bismuth asks out loud.

"Right," Garnet nodded, "We could, but there's going to be a group of three."

Amethyst looks at Ruby and Sapphire, and then back at Garnet, "I'll go with Peri and Lapis."

Peridot and Lapis groan, but they went with it.

"Alright, head back here when you're done."

"On it." Everyone said simultaneously.

* * *

Ruby and Sapphire walked through where the vegetables and fresh produce should be. They planned on going through the other food aisles and hope to find anything worth while.

"Hey Sapphire." Ruby grabs onto her hand.

"Yes?"

They stopped their scavenging.

"What happened that caused you guys to get caught?"

"They came. We tried to fight them off, but there were more of them, felt like a hundred of them. They just found the place and when we tried to run off they just ran after. There was no where to go... I think they were just hunting for things to eat or something, but that's what I overheard while we were trying to hide in the beginning."

Ruby nodded, "... I was with a kid while we were separated."

"Hm?"

"His name was Steven. When I got caught, I let him run."

"I think I remember Amethyst telling me about him. He's Rose's son. You were with him?"

"For a little bit. I don't know where he could be anymore... I shouldn't have left him!"

Ruby felt her heart wrench. Her hand around Sapphire's tightened as her eyes watered up.

"You did what you felt was right," Sapphire placed her cold hand onto Ruby's cheek. "Don't beat yourself up about it..."

"I can't stop thinking about it... I wasn't able to! I just need to know if he's okay and he was taken in by someone who'll take care of him."

"Maybe he found his mom or dad or even a group to take him in. I have a feeling he's okay."

Ruby let out a deep breath, looking into Sapphire's one eye, focused and hanging onto her every word.

"Come on, let's scavenge. It'll help you."

* * *

The team gathered around again. All of them were empty handed but expected it as so.

"Well, I don't know what I was expecting." Bismuth shrugged her broad shoulders.

"You already know what I was looking for." Amethyst reminded.

"SHIT!" Bismuth yells out. She whips out her gun, hidden in her pants against her back, shooting at the entrance.

At the entrance, hundreds of zombies crowded and covered the doors. The issue would be fine if they didn't cover the doors completely. Some were faster than others, on feet or crawling, and it seemed to never end.

"Stand back!" Lapis follows, starting to shoot with her. The ones in the front were shot dead, but ignored by the others, making it immensely more difficult.

"Let's move!" Ruby started to run towards the back of the store.

Her, Sapphire, Amethyst, and Peridot ran to the back, leaving everyone else to fend off the large hoard.

Ruby looked left, right, and front for any way out.

_Again with this, Ruby! You just ran! We should be helping! Why did you do this?!_

Straight ahead, there was a door, but it said KEEP LOCKED in red and bold. Under it, it said, Emergency Exit.

Ruby grabs the door, jiggling and aggressively shaking it to get it to open. She looked at the knob, painted over and banged up the keyhole to make sure no one can leave.

"Fuck!"

"That way!" Peridot pointed towards their left, towards where Ruby and Sapphire were searching.

They followed, leading to gray double doors.

Peridot grabbed it with the one hand she got, opening it and falling into the bright sun again.

Everyone left the building, only to be still surrounded, thanks to Peridot's loud exit. The attention was now on them, arms outstretched to them and limping towards them.

"Alright... Life is a bitch..." Ruby growled as she stood back-to-back with the other three.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

Sapphire took Ruby's ax and start to swing away aimlessly. Her accuracy is better than Ruby's, hitting them directly in their heads, killing them instantly.

Peridot only had one hand, so she tossed her glock to Ruby, who started to shoot them one-by-one. Peridot stayed to watch in the store and Amethyst still had her nail bat and a gun against her side as a backup.

The hoard quickly declined, due to Sapphire's and Amethyst's near-perfect aims. Ruby tried her best to get any blind spots the two had, helping them not get grabbed or scratched.

"Uh, guys!" Peridot's shrill voice calls out.

Ruby turns around, only to see Garnet, Bismuth, and Lapis running over at full speed.

"What's happening?!" Bismuth yells.

"We're a little stuck here!" Ruby turns back to cover for the other two again.

They arrive, turning back and forth to make sure whatever they were seeing is real.

"We're surrounded!" Garnet takes her sunglasses off.

Everyone didn't know what to do. They were covered on both sides, Sapphire and Amethyst was barely making any progress, and the trio that just came were still exhausted.

"Guys!" Bismuth looked at the beige wall, "You guys go up. I'll hold them back while you all go!"

Everyone followed, the first being Peridot, who went upwards quickly.

Then Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Lapis, and then Garnet.

Bismuth started to go spray down the ones that were the closest.

The group went up and, with Garnet being last, she constantly looked back down and see how Bismuth was doing. She felt... pain. It swelled in her chest just watching her.

"I can't!" Garnet exclaimed.

"What?!" Ruby yelled back, in shock and fear.

"I can't leave her! All of you, leave without me! Bismuth and I will handle it!" She then hurriedly went down again, not listening to everyone else's calls.

Peridot was already at the top, "Hurry up!"

* * *

Everyone made it to the roof, one by one, out of breath and still mind-numbingly shocked at Garnet's decision.

"Do we just wait here?" Ruby asked everyone while sitting down. Sapphire followed and quietly sat beside her.

"What else can we do?" Lapis crossed her arms over her chest as she stood near the edge, watching below.

"What's happening?"

"They're still fighting. I can't watch." She walks away with a sigh.

"Right..."

The group watched the sky instead, glowing from dark blue to scarlet, the sun beating down on them in a refreshing yellow glow and warmth they missed.

"Dear God... Just let them live..." Ruby quietly begged.

* * *

The next day, while everyone slept, Ruby stayed awake.

Nothing was going to happen, but she was so unable that she just lied there with Sapphire in her arms. She was numb, tired, and her train of thought derailed all over the place.

"Are you scared?" Sapphire was awake and, with a hand over Ruby's heart, she felt the sudden rapid beats.

"Who wouldn't be? But, I can't be."

"It's okay, Ruby. I'm terrified more than anything..."

"So you running into that hoard was what?"

"... I wanted to protect you."

They were quiet for a moment.

"You talk about protecting me all the time," Sapphire continued, "But, it was unfair."

Ruby couldn't find the words.

When she sucked in a breath to finally say something, it was immediately shut down.

"As cute or whatever as this is to listen to, can you please wait until the morning to be like this?" Peridot was turned away from them, but they can perfectly picture the irritation on her face.

The two laughed quietly and did as she said.

* * *

The next morning, Ruby was awoken by Lapis, who was nudging her in the side with her foot.

"Morning. It's time to come up with a plan."

Ruby and Sapphire sit up, Sapphire stretched her arms and Ruby cracked her neck from being so stiff.

"How does it look down there?" Ruby asked Peridot, who was peering over the edge.

"Very clear," she replied, "And no large women in sight."

"They must've ran off... I hope."

"Well, we must move on that way." Lapis walked over, after looking down the opposite side, "They are still coming through the entrance."

"Alright then, that means we'll be going towards our destination that way, right?"

Everyone looked at Peridot. She stood idly while she swung her empty jacket sleeve.

"What are you looking at me for?"

Everyone else sighed but went in that direction regardless.

* * *

They walked more, leading to more open land and no other life.

"Eye spy... Something blue?" Ruby shrugged her shoulders as she plays the game with Amethyst.

"Sapphire," Amethyst answered quickly, since Ruby's been saying that every turn.

"Shit."

"Eye spy... Something annoying."

"Peridot."

"Nah."

"This journey."

"Ye."

Sapphire walked alone while Peridot and Lapis walked together with a whole foot of space between them.

"Are you okay, Sapphire?" Ruby asked as she watched her back.

"I'm just tired. But, I can walk on my own just fine."

Ruby just hummed.

"I heard you two were talking about some deep shit last night." Amethyst put her arm out to stop her and Ruby from walking too close.

"Yeah, she addressed why she ran into the hoard and battled her heart out. She seems to feel helpless whenever I tell her I want to protect her."

"Hey man, no one wants to be the "pillow princess" of apocalypses."

"I don't think that's a thing."

"You know what I mean!"

"I do and it makes stupid sense."

Amethyst laughs and punches her in the shoulder, "Just let your girlfriend do whatever. She's obviously tough."

Ruby just chuckles.

* * *

They reached a green sign. It was one of the signs with city names and how many miles it took getting to it. However, this particular sign had been broken, spray painted and scratched until it was unreadable.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Amethyst stared at the sign.

"Nope..." Lapis deadpan.

It was sometime in the afternoon and they finally see cars in the distance.

"I hope there's food." Amethyst started to walk off towards them.

She has lost a noticeable amount of weight, as everyone else did, but she was the most drastic.

"Hopefully." Ruby followed.

Everyone went to the cars, either stuck to the shoulder or horizontal in the middle of the street, noticing how it was mostly red and white cars.

"Yo... Is that what I think it is?" Amethyst pointed and turned to her group.

Ruby squinted, "Is that..."

Everyone started to walk a little faster. All had the same idea but just wasn't sure if it was true or all in their heads.

Arriving to it, they recognize the truck that sped away and left them to die.

Jasper left the truck here and everything it had...

But why...? 


	19. Chapter 19

"Damn is she dead?" Amethyst was the first to break the silence.

"I doubt that beyond anything. She's a fucking mountain." Ruby scoffed off the idea.

"Well, I'm guessing there's no gas in this thing." Peridot approached the truck, kicking the back tire.

"But we have stuff! We need to survive. Ruby, we can stay put here. I think everyone else can scavenge around."

"Fine, miss bossy..." Peridot grumbled and left to do the task.

Everyone split up, leaving Ruby and Amethyst at the truck.

"Alright, so this is also unlocked." Amethyst opens the driver's door. The inside was left as clean as it could be.

"Why did you want to stay here?" Ruby asked.

"Dude, I'm tired as shit. Sorry for pointing you out."

"Nah, I get it. What else is left? Is the key here?"

"I don't see it."

"This was suspiciously left alone."

"Right..."

Ruby started to look around, suddenly feeling uneasy and being watched. She could have sworn that there was something lurking.

"I wish we got the other truck too." Ruby went back to the conversation.

"Ugh, I know right? But, we got caught in a middle of something..."

"I'm not mad about it."

"Me neither."

"I mean, I've never had so much exercise in my life." Ruby chuckled forcefully. She desperately wanted a better atmosphere.

"Agreed." She follows up a laugh. "Hey Ruby, I just want to say that I'm happy we met."

"Thanks, man... I appreciate-"

"Well well well, I believe that you're not welcome here..." A menacing voice interrupted them.

* * *

"I swear to God if you reach for your gun right now I'll chop your head off!"

Pearl pointed a katana she pulled off the brick wall towards the people who held her captive. They were all on their knees, hands in the air, and looking at her with wide eyes.

"Please, we don't want to be provoked... Start crawling towards the basement." Rose commanded.

They followed right away, on their hands and knees, crawling down the stairs with their heads down.

It was a long story how they got out. Rose plotted her begging and pretending to finally listen, so when the door swung open, her and Pearl lunged at whoever was a the door, along with quick-paced kicks and punches to put them where they are now.

As all three men were halfway down the stairs, they slammed the door shut and locked it. There was about five locks to use and three bars to horizontally block the door.

"Thank god that's over." Rose wipes her forehead with the back of her hand.

"That was a good idea, Rose!"

"Charmed, but it's time to finally feel real sun." Rose starts to walk towards the exit.

Upon walking out, they were indeed hit by the warm afternoon sun, in a small town filled with tumbleweeds and dirt. They were unsure where they even were at this point; in fact, they don't know how long they were out during their trip here.

"Where do we even start?" Rose asks, rhetorically.

"Well, a city name will be good."

* * *

"Jasper, wait-

"I realized that I am much, _much_ stronger than you. ALL OF YOU. And I am here now, you instantly wanted your truck back, with a gun pointed at you..."

"You left us for dead... You left us walking for miles..." Ruby held her hands up and slowly walking up to the handgun pointed more directly to her.

"Yeah, because you're weak." Jasper walked closer with bigger steps.

"Big ass words for someone who got her nose destroyed." Amethyst infuriate.

"You wanna be first?!"

"Nah, bruh!"

"Please, stop!" Ruby yelled at the both of them.

Jasper raises the gun and shoots it into the air.

"Stop... or what?"

"We can talk this out, Jasper!"

Jasper can see the other three running towards them.

"JASPER!"

Jasper smirked and point the gun at Ruby again and shot.

The loud bang goes off.

Shooting into Ruby's shoulder, she fell and Jasper ran off back behind cars she was hiding.

Lapis stopped and started to fire off. She also hid, behind the truck.

"Ruby!" Sapphire yelled and Amethyst ran to her, who was covering her wound as she lied on the ground.

Sapphire placed her hand over it after moving Ruby's.

"Stay with me!" She cried.

Ruby's vision was blurry and she can barely get any words out. She can see her blue hair and feel her tears fall on her face.

"We have to move her out of here!" Amethyst yells as she realizes that bullets were flying right above them.

The two were forced to drag her out of the line of fire, hoping to not get hit. Ruby tried her best to stay conscious.

They got out safely, kneeling next to Lapis and Peridot as Lapis aimed at Jasper. Specifically, her head.

"S-Sapphire..." Ruby grabbed her tightly. "Don't go."

"I won't! Lapis, do something!"

"I'm trying!" Lapis shouted as she reloaded.

She had an idea pop in her head; she stops firing for a moment.

"You four... run."

"What?!" Peridot squealed, "We can't do that! We need to stay together!"

"Just go! I can do this on my own! I will hold her back! JUST GO!"

It took a moment to sink in before Amethyst grabbed Ruby and placed her on her back to carry.

"Sapphire, run!" Amethyst yelled.

The four ran off as fast as possible. Peridot looked back one last time before she caught up.

* * *

Sapphire ran until they hit the state line into Ohio a few miles ahead.

Everyone was able to keep up, despite Amethyst having to carry and Peridot having shorter legs.

Sapphire stopped as she fell to the ground.

Out of breath, she lied there. She let everything sink in; from the gun war to the blood stained on her hands.

"Sapphy..." Ruby mumbled. She can see her lying down through her blurry vision.

"We need to stop her from bleeding out." Amethyst slowly let Ruby down to the ground.

She withdrew her jacket and placed it on top of the wound. It was lucky that it didn't hit anything vital. However, Ruby's life was slowly being taken away.

"Did it go straight through?" Sapphire asks as she crawls over to lie down next to her.

"It didn't..."

Sapphire covers her face with her long sleeves. "I can't do it. One of you have to take it out..."

Amethyst and Peridot looked at each other.

"... I can't do it." Peridot submitted.

Amethyst sighed.

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

 

Amethyst wasn't going to do it, hell no.

"Taking it out right now is going to make it worse." She decided.

Ruby took a deep breath and could faintly see a bright light coming for her, but she was using all her strength to stay away from it.

"We just need to go," Sapphire suggested. "We need to keep walking and see if someone will help!"

"That sounds better... How about that gas station over there?" Amethyst nods her head over to the right, where the Mobil gas station sat. It was surrounded by fencing and one person who was staring creepily at them from the roof.

Sapphire and Peridot looked, finding it suspicious, but both started to walk towards it.

"Do you have a bad feeling about this?" Sapphire asks.

"Oho yeah," she replies with a scoff. "But, this will either help your girlfriend or kill us both."

Sapphire stays silent.

"My bet is the latter."

Sapphire sighed and expected such an answer. The fencing-to-Mobil wasn't too far apart.

They were faced with the man, who actually looked like a teenager at a closer view, a shining pair of sunglasses and a shotgun in hand.

"Good day to you." Sapphire greeted first, raising her voice.

"How may I help you?" He also raised his voice.

"We were hoping you have a doctor or someone who can help us with my... _our_ friend."

"Let me go see. Stay right there, okay?"

He seems to go down a ladder and they waited.

"Well _thanks_ for asking me if I wanted to talk to him." Peridot placed her one hand on her hip.

"You think they're going to kill us."

"Yeah, but with my charming and charismatic appeal, he would've gotten help _way_ faster."

"Sorry, I'll ask next time."

Sapphire really wasn't going to.

The teenager comes out, along with an older woman and what seems to be her young daughter. They walk up to the fence. Up close, all three looked about as fed up as anyone would be.

"You need help?" She asks.

"Yes, please, our friend got shot and we're just in need of some help and then we'll go."

The woman looked at the two with a somewhat contemplating look, juggling whether or not to help them, and goes with,

"Okay, try to bring her inside. I'll try to help to the best of my ability."

"Thank you so much-

"Sapphire, you stay here! I'll get them!" Peridot says and then runs off before Sapphire can even reply.

"Did it happen just now?" She asks.

"Pretty much," Sapphire replies, "She was shot by an old group member."

"Dang." The teen reacted.

Sapphire turns, seeing Amethyst and Peridot, side-to-side, carrying Ruby, who looked dead and limp.

"Hurry up, you two!" The woman yelled at the two.

"The name is Priyanka." She speaks to Sapphire again. "Dr. Maheswaran, if you still care for formality."

"Sapphire. Ruby is the one that's hurt, Peridot was here, and the last one is Amethyst."

The boy opens the gate, "I'm Buck."

"And this here is my daughter, Connie." Dr. Maheswaran introduced.

* * *

Inside, there were two other families and most were sleeping.

The ones that were awake watched as Ruby was carried in. Some looked quite scared as if Ruby was turning into a zombie that very moment and others looked skeptical and suspicious of the new group.

"Please place her in the back room so I can assess what I can do." Dr. Maheswaran pointed to the open door in the back with a table and various boxes within it. Peridot and Amethyst followed.

After placing Ruby on the hard metal table, the two watched for a moment as her chest went up and down in slow breaths.

"She's in good hands, I can assure you that."

The two leave, walking up to Sapphire, who was standing alone by the entrance.

"Are you okay?" Amethyst asked the silent girl.

"Yeah... I'm fine." Sapphire stared at her blood-covered hands.

"She's going to be fine." Amethyst put her also-bloody hand on the other's shoulder.

"I swear, I will kill all of you if your _friend_ in there turns and tries to touch me or my family!" An older man stands up and starts to yell at the three. He was dressed a little too well for how far into the apocalypse. He must've had

"Hey man, she wasn't bitten, okay?! She was shot!" Amethyst pushes him away. "We're just here to help her then we'll go!"

"Oh, you'd be surprised by how many people I've seen turn from falling asleep!"

"Dad, stop!" A teen girl grabbed her father's arm. "Their friend is hurt, give them some space!"

"I will not give some space when someone is about to put my life in danger! I-

"Kofi, I will ignore that you were threatening newcomers." Dr. Maheswaran walked out, wearing gloves and holding a bandage wrap. "Your thundering voice is very prominent through this door."

Kofi looked irritated with the whole situation.

"Please, let me work and help them. They're clearly no harm to any of us."

"Then they should stand outside! Away from us!"

"What the hell is your problem?!" Amethyst stepped up to him.

"Just go outside, please!" Dr. Maheswaran demanded. "I need to work!"

The three decided to follow the order, leaving outside into the warm day.

* * *

The only person outside was Buck, who was back on the roof, and watching over while walking back and forth.

"What brings you three back out here?" He asks as he looks over the edge.

"Kofi went off on us, yo." Amethyst replied, "Why he so crotchety?"

"He's just trying to protect his family, man. He just louder about it."

Everyone agreed with that.

"Hey, Dr. Maheswaran is the best out there, your friend is going to be great after."

"The best out there right now." Peridot included.

"Right, but you picking up what I'm putting down."

Sapphire has since walked away towards the fence, watching clouds and the street.

_She's going to be okay... she's going to be okay... She'll be fine... Why do they keep calling her my girlfriend?  
We can't be together, can't we? Life is hard right now. We can't possibly make it work. Wait... why... Why am I losing my mind?  
_

She clears her throat. She walks back to them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we should all really wash our hands, no?"

"Oh, right. I was so distracted with keeping Ruby alive and fighting with Kofi that I totally forgot..." Amethyst looked at her hands.

"Alright, be careful with Kofi inside then." Buck walks back the other way.

* * *

"It was only a few minutes and you couldn't handle standing out there!" Kofi went off the moment the door opened.

"We're covered in blood! Calm down while we go in the bathroom to wash this off and _not_ get infected by our friend." Amethyst defended just as quickly.

Amethyst and Sapphire went to the open restroom and started the sink, which actually had water, to their relief.

"How do you think she's doing?" Sapphire asks.

"Ruby is pretty strong. I know she's going to be fine. And _you_ , I am sure you will jump into her lap the moment she's okay." Amethyst winks at her and then shakes her hands to dry them.

Sapphire does the same with her hands. She wasn't sure how to feel about Amethyst's remark.

Amethyst and Peridot waited at the door.

Sapphire felt all eyes on her as she walked across the room, and through the door.

* * *

"You're awake." Dr. Maheswaran took her gloves off.

Ruby had only the bandage around her body, left in her pants and shoes. She breathed slowly as she regained herself again.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked as she turns her head.

"I'm Dr. Maheswaran. You were brought here by your group and they'll be happy to know that you're just fine. Luckily, I was able to extract that bullet and patch you up."

"Thanks..." Ruby furrowed her brows. "Can I see them...? My friends?"

"One of them is having some trouble with my group. Amethyst, was it? She didn't do anything, but she is vocal."

"That sounds like her... I should rest a little more."

"Please do. I'll tell them that you were awake for a little."

She walks out her room, closing the door behind her, and saw that the three came back inside, sitting further away from everyone else.

"How is she?" Sapphire stands up and goes up to the doctor.

"I'm happy to tell you that she is okay."

Sapphire lets out a heavy sigh of relief.

"But, she is going to need rest. So, please, get comfortable as she heals."

"Y-yeah, no problem. We can last a few days, right?" Sapphire turns to the other two.

"Yeah, we can manage." Amethyst looks across the room, "... or try."

 


	21. Chapter 21

The next day, it was a work day, as Buck told them.

Fixing their fencing, using the car they hide in the back to go scavenge and hunt, possibly catching up on some sleep, staying outside and getting some air while watching the kids.

Sapphire was stuck in the middle.

She wanted to help out this group who graciously took Ruby in and let her heal (well most of them) or just stay inside and keep Ruby company. With the conflicting thought, she decided to go out and help Amethyst and Peridot on building and fortifying the fence.

"Man, I slept like a baby last night." Amethyst yawned after the statement.

"My back is in so much pain from lying down on a flat floor." Peridot rubbed her back. Her head was finally out of her hood and let her blonde hair free. It was really flat from being in the hood for so long, but she has spoken about how it was triangle-shaped before. She was also two different skin tones, from her slightly tan face and then has white ears and neck.

"Speaking of back pain," Amethyst stops in her tracks and turn to the two, "Have you guys...?"

Sapphire and Peridot look at each other, puzzled.

_Back pain... us... OH!_

"No, I haven't had it yet." Sapphire replied first, "It might come up soon. I have no idea."

Peridot perked up, "Uh... I have no clue either."

"Great, can't wait for that." Amethyst starts to walk again.

"We'll be fine," Sapphire follows, "We don't have control over it."

"It's just going to be a nightmare. Dontcha think?"

"When hasn't it been?"

"You get what I mean."

The three walked up to the fence, which looked pretty new and sturdy, however, looking to their left, apparently the side of it needed some work.

"Hey man!" Amethyst walks over to a man who was bent over and fixing the fence to a pole.

"Good morning!" He looks up and then stands, towering over them by a foot. "I'm Fryman! Those two over there are my boys, Ronaldo and Peedee."

He points to two blonde boys with similar blonde hair, living up to the "Fry" hairstyle, who were sitting at a picnic bench and talking.

"What brings you here?"

The three came to the conclusion that this group found new clothes recently, as this family also looked like they haven't been through an apocalypse. He wore a clean t-shirt and jeans, clean of blood.

"Well," Peridot speaks up, "Buck told us that today is when everyone must contribute to labor and keep this place on its feet."

"Right," he looked uncomfortable right away. There's a few loose fencing, so you can walk around and try to fix them."

"On it," Amethyst grabs Peridot by her empty arm sleeve and dragged her away.

"Peri, you're freaking him out," Amethyst said once they were at a far enough distance.

"I'm just talking!"

"You creeped the shit outta him."

"It's a useful skill, no?"

"Not when we are kind of living here!"

"Can we please," Sapphire gets in between them, "get along while we're here?"

The two crossed their arms and pouted.

"We're going to fix the fence and then get acquainted with everyone. I would like to get through this with everyone liking us."

"Why don't you do it?"

"Great idea, maybe you two can finally become friends while I'm gone then." Sapphire walks away, figuring it was the best.

She hears "WAIT NO!" as she walked away.

Sapphire roamed around.

She was going to pick out someone to speak to first, however, she feels a tap on her shoulder as she thought.

"Excuse me, I am a walker conspiracy theorist and I have questions regarding your eye." She guessed his name was Ronaldo.

He was the last person she wanted to talk to you.

"Um, I didn't lose my eye to a zombie." She answered.

"Are you _lying_ to me?"

"What, no, why would I-

"People lie about bites all the time! Because they don't want to get kicked out! I know the _zeeple_ are highly dangerous and I suggest that telling the truth is easier."

"... Zeeple?"

"Zombie people."

She was speechless.

* * *

"So we're stuck in the middle of empty Ohio, huh?" Rose asked once more towards Pearl, who was driving the red pickup truck they found. They have been driving and walking repeatedly as they try to get back to... wherever.

They found one group in a broken down city, where they were told that they're "somewhere in the middle of Ohio."

Rose sighs, "How do you think they're doing?"

"Good? They could be, I mean, they seemed like they can handle themselves fine."

"You think so? I hope my family is okay..."

"Greg and Steven, huh..."

Pearl didn't like speaking about the two. She tends to avoid it as much as possible, but with just the two of them, she was uncomfortable and unable to make it _seem_ like she's fine.

Rose stayed looking out her window, elbow on the car door.

"When there's no zombie or gang in sight... I see the beauty again..." She said under her breath as she continued to look out. All she was staring at was mountains and empty road, but there was calmness and a sense of ordinary again.

* * *

Sapphire has walked away, walking towards Buck, who was now on the ground in a lawn chair, and eating one stick of beef jerky.

"Hey Sapphire," he greeted. "Wanna lounge and sleep around?"

"Can I take that seat?" She points at the lawn chair next to him.

"Of course."

She does so, sighing as she sits, "Is Ronaldo paranoid?"

"He's just doing what he loves. He always talked about his "sneeple" and his "rock people" before the apocalypse."

"I told him that my eye wasn't caused by a zombie, but he persisted to "tell the truth," even though I was."

"That's what you mean. You can tell him more, but I don't know. I don't talk to him much."

"Does anyone talk to him?"

"His brother."

She hums.

There was a comfortable silence for a moment.

"So, what is your relationship with that girl in the health room?"

"To be honest, I don't know. We protect each other and act like a couple would, but I don't know what we are."

"That's rough, buddy."

"I mean, it's all mutual, and not because we wanted to, but we performed a bit of play with each other before."

"Maybe when she feels better, you should talk about it. Talking is like, important, you know?"

"I know."

At the fence, she finally sees Amethyst and Peridot has made it all around without killing each other.

"It's going to be lunch soon," Buck mentions, "You should get ready for any rations you may get."

"Thanks. I'll hope for the best."

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

As much as Sapphire wanted food, she did not get any. Along with Amethyst and Peridot.

Kofi was the one running the food, so he refused to give the three any. But, she was told by Dr. Maheswaran that the reason is because they're new.

She understood that they weren't able to eat, as morbid as that is, but it was something she was going to have to deal with for the next few days.

Strange she went from eating better than everyone else to eating nothing at all.

"Well," Sapphire walked to Amethyst and Peridot, who were leaning against the fence outside, "We probably won't be eating for the next few days."

Amethyst scoffed, "Damn it. Is it Kofi passing the food out?"

"No, it was Buck's father. I know Kofi is suspicious of us, but you can't stoop to his level, too."

Amethyst huffs and crosses her arms.

"Hey," Amethyst changed subject and tone, "Have you checked Ruby today?"

"I haven't yet. I got stuck with Ronaldo and "zeeple" talk, I forgot."

Amethyst nods, "What's that about?"

"He thinks I'm hiding the fact that I was bitten by a zombie in the face." Sapphire leans on the fence next to Amethyst, "Which is not true. He's rather persistent with being correct."

"Hey, uh, what did happen? With your eye, I mean."

"It's a long story. I can just say that a zombie didn't do it."

"Hello ladies," Buck comes out of the building, empty-handed, "Food is low today, so I'll be hanging out here with you."

"What up?" Amethyst saluted.

"Nothing, man, just thinking about life and what it is now."

The three silently sighed as they thought about the statement.

At the moment, they lived life calmly, but knowing people are still dying from being eaten, not eating, and going insane was unsettling.

"I'm going to check Ruby." Sapphire stands and goes back inside. She can hear the three talk again as she walked away.

* * *

Sapphire opened and peeked her head in the room. Ruby was lying down, still shirtless and had a new bandage around her chest, and staring up at the ceiling.

"Ruby?" She called.

"Hi, Sapphy..." Ruby didn't look her way.

"How are you feeling?" Sapphire sat on the bed, resting a hand on Ruby's leg.

"Fine, I guess," Ruby replied. "How is it outside?"

"Calm... Quiet... It feels like nothing bad is even happening."

"Is that good?"

"Yes. I wish you can see it."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Sapphy?" Ruby's voice is rough and sounded like she was losing her voice.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to talk about this? About us?"

Sapphire was taken aback by the question. She was focused on keeping the place safe, talking to people, and doing anything to take her mind off both zombies and this relationship.

"I think about it." Sapphire began, "Is this a good time? I know you're still healing."

"It's hard not to think about it in here. It's been two days and it's difficult."

Sapphire nods.

"What do you think?"

Sapphire bit her lower lip, "Of course there are feelings, you know? I never expected them _now,_ but it's there. I think it's important that I feel this way, after what happened to me. I feel like there's worth now. Worth living."

Ruby nodded and listened to her.

Sapphire took her hand off Ruby and placed them on her knees, "It's so weird, you know?"

"How so?"

"Us. You found me pretty much dead in that room and you could have just left me. But, you decided to save me. I doubted these feelings because maybe I just felt like this... I felt like this _just_ because you saved me."

Sapphire turned to Ruby, "It isn't. They're very real and I'm happier."

Ruby cracks a smile.

"What about you?"

"I..." Ruby couldn't even get the words out anymore. She's thought about it for hours.

There was a knock on the door, more like a fist banging against it, "It's me, Amethyst."

"Come in," Sapphire stands up, fixing her flannel shirt.

The door swings open, an ungodly squeak coming from the door.

"Hey, sorry if I ruined anything, but there's two people you need to meet." Amethyst looked brighter and might actually glow.

* * *

At the gate, a tall pink-haired woman and a pale woman holding a gun in one hand and a machete in the other with a circulation-stopping grip stood on the other side of the fence.

"Pearl, there's no need to be so tense." Rose placed her hand on the other's shoulder.

Pearl relaxed, but only slightly.

"Amethyst is here, Peridot is here. Just cool down. And look, Sapphire too."

"You know these people?" Dr. Maheswaran looked at the three, but specifically Sapphire. Behind her, her daughter Connie looked at Pearl with a twinkle in her eye and a face of awe.

"Yes, ma'am. Rose is a medic and Pearl was one of our protectors."

Dr. Maheswaran looked at the duo, then the trio, then the duo again.

"Let them in." Dr. Maheswaran looks at Buck, then leaves.

Buck does so, earning a glare from Pearl and a thankful grin from Rose.

"Welcome back, Rose!" Amethyst grabs Rose into a tight hug.

Pearl stays by them finally, relaxed and actually smiling now.

"Excuse me, miss," Pearl can feel her shirt being tugged, "Do you fight off zombies with that machete?"

It was Connie, who looked at the freshly-cleaned knife with wide eyes, and an eager smile.

Pearl looked at the group, who took the hint and left. They went to the fence; Amethyst leans on it again.

"I'm glad you're all okay," Rose spoke to the three.

"Heh, yeah, we were in hell for a few days before we got here," Amethyst stated. "We were stuck in this place that wanted to make a safe haven, but we were like prisoners, so it stunk hard."

"I'm glad you were able to get out and find a safer place."

" _Well,_ we sort of killed them," Amethyst added. "And by sort of, I mean a lot. After they took Ruby and Sapphire for a show, so to speak, against their will."

"What does that mean?" Rose looks at Sapphire.

"I don't know what they wanted." Sapphire responds, "We performed intercourse while they pointed guns at us."

"I'm so sorry." Rose said empathetically, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Ruby didn't hurt me."

It was awkwardly silent after that. Sapphire didn't blame them for being speechless.

"I need to go back to her, actually." Sapphire started to back away.

She walks off, hurriedly to avoid any comments they wanted to add in.

* * *

Sapphire was back in the room, sitting on Ruby's bed, close enough to hold her hand during their conversation. Ruby rubbed her thumb back and forth on the back of Sapphire's hand, feeling the heavenly soft skin, but felt bad about her own rough and beat up skin.

"I just felt a connection, I guess," Ruby said with a huff at the end. "I just felt like there was something between us. When I got to know you, it just made it stronger. That feeling."

Sapphire couldn't agree more.

"So... We can try to make it work... What do you think?"

Sapphire thought about it. She constantly thought about balance and how that was going to work.

She nods, "Okay. Let's try to make it work."

* * *

Sapphire realizes it was nighttime by the time they were done talking about the current shelter and if they will leave.

"I need to be with everyone else now," Sapphire stands up and fixes her hair, which was now a pale blue color, "Rest well, okay?"

Ruby nods and watches Sapphire walk out the room.

Sapphire went outside and saw everyone, circled around a campfire, and spoke to each other. They were laughing and talking about their pasts.

She sat in between Rose and Amethyst as she started to listening to the current story. The only person missing was Buck, who was sitting on the roof again, keeping guard.

"- that's when I decided to throw away Frybo. The guy under it was crazy and started to do crazy things in the suit, so I fired him and threw the suit out." Fryman finished his story. It was apparently a mascot outfit gone berserk.

"What about you there?" He continued, pointing at Sapphire.

"Me?" Sapphire was caught off-guard, "Like, a weird story?"

"Well, you were late, but we just like talking about who we were before. It's our way of getting to know each other."

"Well," Sapphire straightened her back, "I was just the preacher's daughter in church. I sang in the choir, but I secretly played baseball on the side. I went to school doing general education and picked a major in music. I didn't get to do that long because this man approached me... I think it was three or four months in once I was found by Ruby."

Everyone was quiet. They let the vague ending float around for a moment before Dr. Maheswaran spoke again.

"Is something happen with this man?"

"I'm missing an eye, aren't I?"

Everyone was quiet again.

"You're safe here." Kofi's daughter, named Jenny, added. "Whoever that is, can go rot."

"Fuck," Amethyst said, "They can go rot in shit. But... You have us. Better yet, you have Ruby."

"When and where did this happen?" Rose asked with a worried tone.

Sapphire thought about it.

"I was at university. I was away from home for a week at the time because I was so busy. I was calling my mom to tell her how I was doing... Then I just got taken away."

The silence stayed as they waited for the story to continue.

"But, I'm okay. The world is in a bad place, but I've never felt more wanted."

Everyone smiled and nodded at her.

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

 Nothing happened the next couple of weeks.

The new group got food, Ruby was quickly getting better, they talked about their pasts every night, and it was as if zombies have never existed.

"Pearl and I drove for miles." Rose spoke to Sapphire, "We were practically in a different state, but I didn't expect to be so close to where you were."

They were given new clothing and actual blankets to sleep on. Sapphire was given another flannel, only because it was the only piece of clothing she would appreciate, but it was too hot for the warmer weather. Rose was given a shirt and jeans, finally after searching for clothes for her size.

Amethyst was given afternoon guard duty, so she sat on the roof with a shotgun on her lap.

"I didn't realize we walked for so long too."

"I think it was us, though. We tried to drive for miles at high speed if we saw the car had enough gas. I could have sworn we were in Ohio."

"Wow."

In the distance, Pearl promised Connie, after convincing her mom, to teach her how to fight with the machete. From where they're sitting, they can see she was improving fast and learning within a few hours.

"How's Ruby?" Rose asks.

"She's a lot better. She can actually sit up. I help her walk sometimes, but she's doing fine."

Ruby and Sapphire have been successful with hiding it. It's not like it was a problem or anything, but it was just never brought up.

"Sapphire!" Someone called out for her.

It was Dr. Maheswaran, who was standing by the shelter, standing with her arms crossed.

Sapphire hurriedly walks over, her fingers interlocked together, and speaks formally.

"Something wrong?"

"A little bit," she replies, "I don't want to bother you, but there's a dilemma. For the past few days, the food and our supplies has been running low. The team comes back with the normal amount, but we end up with less than usual by the end of the day. Like, one left of everything. You know what I mean?"

"Right."

"So, I would like you to snoop around a bit. Everyone has taken a liking to you, so I would hope everyone can speak to you easily."

Sapphire nodded, "I can look around for clues and talk to everyone."

She starts to look around. She moved anything that would hide anything.

"What are you looking for?"

Sapphire jumped at the sudden voice, but she turns around and sees Ronaldo standing there with squinted eyes. He is definitely suspicious of her.

"Ronaldo, have you seen anyone stealing or showing suspicious behavior lately?"

"You seem to be doing both those things right now."

Sapphire sighs, in irritation and impatience, "I'm not stealing anything. I'm looking out for Dr. Maheswaran. She just wants to know if anyone is betraying the group or made a secret deal or are spies. Can I just get an answer? I'm obviously not bitten because I'm still here."

"No. I'm not stealing anything. I'm only interested in-

"Okay, thank you!"

Sapphire left as soon as possible. She did feel a sense of uneasiness if you asked her. She didn't know _who_ it could be.

"Hey, uh," Sapphire kneels down to Peedee, who was sitting by the fence, "Peedee, can I ask you something?"

"Sure! Is something happening?" He was better than his brother. He seemed to be fiddling with the fence, probably wishing to be outside of it. She never really talked to him, other than ask how he was.

"Dr. Maheswaran told me that there's been some stealing going on here. Have you seen anything or anyone that seemed weird or...?"

He placed his finger on his chin and hummed, "I don't think so. I've seen Kofi acting more defensive than before, though."

Sapphire nodded, "Thank you."

Sapphire walks away. She didn't want to single out the man that was picking on Amethyst when they first arrived, but she has to ask. It took a moment before walking inside of the market, where he was.

She clears her throat as she walked to the man. He was fixing the supply, organizing the food and all weapons.

_It could be easier for him to take things..._

"What do you want?" He asks.

"I'm sorry, I just had a question."

He turns to her and crosses his arms, glaring her direction, looking disgruntled and disheveled. He was doing more of the scavenging this week, which was even _more_ suspicious.

Sapphire stood with her back straight and a firm tone in her voice, "I want to know if you've seen any questionable activity the past several days."

"Questionable as in?"

"Dr. Maheswaran said there's been a shortage on food and extra inventory lately. And, since you've been on those scavenging trips, I was just wondering if someone if the group is doing something with them."

"No," he turns away, "I'll have you know, I have watched very closely and not once did I see something wrong."

She believed the man. He was very strict and very certain of everything. He shoves his foot into the ground with such force, there was no way he was even remotely lying.

She backs out, feeling sweat go down her temple and swiftly left.

* * *

"You can't move well yet, right?" Sapphire sat on Ruby's bed, who was sitting up with her back against the wall. Sapphire sat nearly on the edge of it; she didn't find it as comfortable as before.

"I don't think so. Why do you ask?" Ruby replied right away.

"Someone is stealing in our group and Dr. M wanted me to ask around. I had to ask you."

Ruby nodded. "You can check me if you don't trust me."

"I believe you. You can barely move." Sapphire deeply exhales. She moves her hair back, her fingers getting tangled in the process.

"Your hair is losing its color," Ruby observed the black-and-blue hair. The blue became pale and nearly white.

"I miss it," Sapphire looked at her with a smile, "Then again, it held memories."

"Good ones... right?"

"You saving me is a good memory... Let's go with that."

The two giggled with each other.

"Anyway," Sapphire stands up again, "I wish I can stay and chat, but I have a mystery to solve."

* * *

"I don't think I've seen anything weird." Jenny put her hands on her hips. "I'm always in here, sometimes with Buck, but I can tell you that I haven't seen any suspicious stuff lately."

"Is there anyone you think that would do something like that?"

"Honestly, no."

"Okay, thank you."

"No prob."

Sapphire was convinced that there was no one that would do such a thing. Some of them were suspicious of her, some of them were temperamental, and some were simply trying to live and pretend the world was fine. However, none of them seemed capable of doing anything of the sort.

"Are you okay there, Sapph?" Amethyst was finally down from the roof. Her shift was over.

"I'm not sure," Sapphire turned to her. She observed that her hair was also becoming pale and showing her dark brown roots. However, Amethyst seemed to be okay with the job she was assigned.

Sapphire continues, "I've been trying to figure out who is stealing on our base."

"From what I see up there, everyone goes to the same place every. Single. Day. Even Peridot, she never stays still until now, she stays by the truck."

"Why does she do that?"

"Somethin' about how it makes her feel safer."

"But!" Amethyst adds, "Here, let me show you something."

Amethyst waves her hand to come follow and Sapphire does so. In the back of the base, it was a little darker than everywhere else, where the sun was hitting.

"I think about three or four days ago, this part of the fence keeps breaking and we fix it all the time. I'm sure this has to do with what you're looking for."

"Every day?"

"Yup, we check every few hours and it just opens up. I think someone is sneaking on."

"How can we not catch them?"

"They are very good at hiding, I dunno. I'll just fix it again right now."

"I'm going to have to stay here, right?"

"If you want. I can stay here and beat them up if they try to get in." She slams her fist into the palm of her other hand.

Sapphire smirks, "Thanks, but I can take care of myself."


	24. Chapter 24

It was dusk once she thought about giving up.

It was humid and tepid, making her uncomfortable being outside much longer. She sat far from the opening, able to look over the corner and stay hidden.

"You didn't have to go on until it was nighttime, you know." It was Dr. Maheswaran's voice.

"I know, doctor, but I just felt that it could happen at any moment." Sapphire turns to her. Her bangs, cut periodically until just under her eyes, covered to hide how bloodshot and dark they were.

"You can rest. We'll catch them eventually. I need you to rest. I don't want you to lose your mind here."

"Thank you, doctor."

Sapphire left to the bonfire everyone had set up.

Even Ruby was outside, with the help of Amethyst. Sapphire takes her seat next to her, who looked back at her with a welcoming smile.

"Welcome," Ruby greeted in a whisper.

"I use to own a pizza shop." Kofi started. He seemed calmer now. "Fish Stew Pizza. I ran it with my daughters and my mother... I had to leave her behind."

His daughters sat on both sides of him, hugging him and rubbing his back.

"I was a few stores away from you. I miss doing work for that."

"We all miss doing the things we do." Dr. Maheswaran walked up to the circle. "But, who would've thought we would all meet like this."

"What did you do for a living?" Mr. Fryman nodded to the person next to him.

"Me?" Amethyst perked up. "I... I didn't do anything. Not yet, anyway. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do and what my love was. I feel like, if this never happened, I would be doing that for the rest of my life."

"Doing nothing?" Sapphire spoke up. She felt the heat of the fire against her skin. Everyone stayed quiet, with only the current speaker and the crackling fire was heard.

"I would just wonder. Wonder who I am or who I'm supposed to be." Amethyst tuck her hair behind her ear, "I miss it, but don't miss it."

Her and Sapphire looked at each other from across the fire.

"What about you?" Amethyst asked her, raising her voice just enough.

"I just wanted to go to school..." Sapphire hugged her knees to her chest. "I didn't live happily when all of this happened. So... I don't miss that at all."

She can feel Ruby's warm hand on her shoulder.

It was silent for a moment, before they heard a yell.

"SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR LIVES!"

* * *

It took half a second for gunshots to completely fill the air. They traveled from the roof, hitting the Pizzas and the Frymans first.

Everyone was stuck in shock, but Mr. Fryman yelling "Run!" caused everyone to finally react. Everyone ran in every random direction.

Ruby was depending on Amethyst to guide her out. The dirt popped up from the bullets hitting it, their only light source only showed until the market, and any closer, the bullets flew pass them more frequently. Sapphire got out of there quickly, running into the back of the market into the doctor's room. She waited until Ruby and Amethyst had limped inside.

"Now what?" Ruby asked between pants.

"I shouldn't have left my post..." Sapphire mumbled to herself.

"Don't blame yourself, Sapphy." Ruby said right away.

The three were stuck in there and the intruders were going to search around for anything, or anyone. They were going to have to bounce around and hope that they won't get caught or spotted.

Sapphire stuck her head out the door, opening ever so slightly. The market was dead silent and only the sound of the door squeaking filled it. She tiptoed out, waiting for Amethyst and Ruby behind her, and got to the front door. She can hear walking and not gunshots. She hears distant talking and, through the crack at the bottom of the door, the fire was still lit. She can make out some of their words:

**"Did we get all of them?"**

**"Man, this is great, we have a home now!"  
**

**"I was only able to get a few items, but now we get everything they ever got!"**

She sucks in a breath, hearing that _they_ were the ones that took everything from them. She wasn't sure how everyone was or if they are even alive in that moment. She tiptoes deeper into the market, waiting for the duo once more, but heading to the back door, actually leading to the fence opening Amethyst found. On her walk, she found the key to the pickup truck Kofi used to drive for supplies; she grabs it and tightly holds it with the teeth readily angled for a strike.

_If we time it just right, we can get to the car and just drive off..._

She pushed her ear against the door, listening for anything or anyone nearby.

After a couple minutes, she guessed it was safe.

She opens the door slowly, the hinges creaking at first and peeks out. She couldn't see much, but all she needed was the hole in the fence. She strides out first, taking the least steps possible in order to make this plan successful. She crept her way out, pressing her foot gently to make the lowest noise she can make. She can hear Ruby grunting a bit, mostly due to the movement; she hasn't moved this much in the past couple of weeks after all.

"Rube," Amethyst whispered hastily, "I know you're in pain, but you can't be doing that."

"I'll try..."

There was another problem. Ruby wouldn't be able to get through the opening.

"Ruby," Sapphire turns and looks at Ruby, barely making out her in the dark, through a very low whisper, "How are you going to go through the fence?"

It was silent. The three didn't know what to do.

"We'll let her go first," Amethyst suggests, "Then you, Sapphire. If I don't make it, well, remember me."

"What, Amethyst-

Amethyst helped Ruby down first, and lifted the fence more to help her go. It was about five minutes before she goes fully through. She sits against the car once she's finally out.

"Sapphire," Amethyst grabs her by her shirt, "Go."

Sapphire protested silently by trying not to move, but Amethyst was a lot stronger than she thinks. Sapphire decided to just go. Opening the car, she helped Ruby into the backseat.

"Hey HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" They heard a voice.

"SAPPHY GO!"

Sapphire started the truck, turning the key hard, and made sure it was in drive. She sped off, seeing Amethyst fight back against the mysterious intruder in the mirror.

* * *

"Ruby, are you okay?"

Sapphire stopped the truck in yet another destroyed town. She got out the truck and checked her in the backseat. Ruby seemed fine, but she was stuck in this stunned and shocked state.

She blinks before looking at Sapphire in her eye.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm asking you that. You're the one that is still injured."

Ruby gulped, "You matter more."

Sapphire sighed, but chuckled after, "You're impossible."

Sapphire helped her sit up. "We need to find another place for you to heal. We cannot travel. Not now."

"What can we do right now?"

Sapphire looked at her, worry filled her eye and then she stared at the city. Every city was a copy and paste of each other and was absolute chaos. Ruby and Sapphire felt in that moment, simultaneously, that it feels familiar to when they first met.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Um, yeah, this is done. Obviously going to be a second story to this, because I'm unhappy with this story? It's not like my prison AU (which I'm rewriting), where I hated it. I love this story and I want to continue it, but I run into a lot of blocks and all. So, in the future, a second part will come out. Or, even just leave this as it is and then update it when I feel inspired again? I dunno, but until then, this story will be left on a cliffhanger.  
> Review and shit.


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